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Cocaine
What is cocaine?
Cocaine is a potent stimulant of natural origin, which is
a white crystalline powder or as an off-white chunky material.
It is extracted from the leaf of the coca plant which is
grown mainly in Peru, Bolivia, and Columbia. Cocaine is known
as: coke, c, snow, toot, happy dust, whiff, and powder.
What is crack cocaine?
Crack is the street name for cocaine that has been processed
from powdered form to a ready to use free base. It has an
off-white color that resembles little rocks or minced macadamia
nuts. It is also known as "Ma’a" in Hawaii.
How is cocaine taken?
Cocaine can be:
- Snorted - inhaled through the nose where it is absorbed into the bloodstream via the nasal tissue.
- Injected - using a needle to release the drug directly into the bloodstream.
- Smoked - inhaled cocaine vapor or smoke into the lungs where it is absorbed into the bloodstream as quickly as when it is injected.
How does cocaine effect the user?
The user may experience:
- Over excitability, anxiety
- Increased blood pressure and heart rate, headaches
- Distorted thinking
- Paranoia, depression
- A sense of increased muscular strength
- Talkativeness and a reduction in the feeling of fatigue
Note: The user may experience a variation of the above effect or others.
How do I recognize a cocaine user?
Some of the symptoms of cocaine use are:
- Dilated pupils
- User talks and walks fast
- Nose may constantly run, appear red, or the user may sniff frequently
