Pubdate: Sat, 25 Jun 2005 Source: Nanaimo News Bulletin (CN BC) Copyright: 2005, BC Newspaper Group Contact: http://www.nanaimobulletin.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/948 Author: Beth Blackburn, member of RCMP's drug awareness service Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine) COCAINE: OLDEST AND STILL POPULAR STIMULANT DRUG Cocaine is the most potent stimulant of natural origin and is one of the oldest identified drugs. The pure chemical, cocaine hydrochloride, has been an abused substance for more than 100 years. The coca leaf, which is the source of cocaine, has been ingested for thousands of years. Pure cocaine was first extracted from the leaf of the coca bush, which grows primarily in Peru and Bolivia. In the early 1900s, cocaine became the main stimulant drug used in tonics and elixirs that were developed to treat a wide variety if illnesses. Today, cocaine is rarely used medically because of its high potential for abuse and addiction. There are two forms of cocaine: powered cocaine and crack (freebase). The powered, hydrochloride salt form of cocaine can be snorted or dissolved in water and injected. Crack (freebase) is cocaine that has not been neutralized by an acid to make the hydrochloride salt. Cocaine is generally sold on the street as fine, white, crystalline powder. Street dealers generally dilute pure cocaine with inert substances such as lactose, mannitol cornstarch, and/or sugar, or with other stimulants. The purity levels of cocaine have varied over the years but are higher now than in the 1970s. The street level purity would be at least 60 per cent and higher. Signs of cocaine use include blurred vision, dilated pupils, tremors and twitching, chest pain or pressure, and fever. In general, cocaine use causes an elevated heart rate, elevated blood pressure, elevated respiratory rate, decreased appetite, aggression, paranoia, depression, and irritability. At high doses, cocaine may produce hallucinations or delusions. Long-term effects of use include a strong psychological dependence and varying degrees of physical tolerance. Eating disorders, malnutrition, impotence, seizures, strokes, severe withdrawal symptoms, and permanent damage to the nasal passage are also consequences of cocaine use. Cocaine-related deaths are often attributed to cardiac arrest or seizures followed by respiratory arrest. Research has revealed a potentially dangerous interaction between cocaine and alcohol. Taken in combination, the two drugs are converted by the body to coca ethylene. Coca ethylene has a longer duration of action in the brain and is more toxic than either drug alone. While more research needs to be done, it is noteworthy that the mixture of cocaine and alcohol is the most common two-drug combination that results in the drug-related death. Const Beth Blackburn is with the RCMP's drug awareness service. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin