There are different types of cocaine, a powerful and highly addictive stimulant that is almost always used as a recreational drug, comes from the coca leaf and became very popular in the 1980s, in its natural form of plant has been consumed for thousands of thousands of years by the peoples of America.
Its pure chemical form is cocaine hydrochloride, a substance developed in the laboratory for more than 100 years, at the beginning of the 20th century, this compound was the active ingredient in various elixirs and tonics used for medicinal purposes, it is still used today as anesthetic for throat, ear and eye surgery.
- “Coca is the comprehensive response to the most urgent needs of today’s era: lack of limits.
- “- Roberto Saviano-.
Cocaine was also used as a component of several soft drinks. The best known of them is “Coca-Cola”. The original formula of the flagship beverage of this brand contained up to 8 milligrams of cocaine per liter; however, this drug began to lose popularity due to its severe effects and Coca-Cola removed it from its prescription in 1903. In 1914, cocaine became illegal, drugs.
It is currently difficult to find cocaine in its chemically pure form. Mixed with starches, talcum powder, sugar or other elements. In street sales, the substance receives different names such as “Snow”, “White Lady”, “Talco”. or just ‘coke’. In English, it gets names like ‘Blow’, ‘Flake’, ‘Coke?’?Or snow.
As mentioned above, its pure chemical form is cocaine hydrochloride. Purity levels vary by management. The highest quality cocaine reaches 98% purity and is known as “Yen”. On the black market. It is the most expensive and looks whiter and brighter than the others.
Hydrochloride comes in powder form. It is estimated that the powdered cocaine sold on the street is normally pure between 5% and 40%, sometimes mixed with very dangerous substances, such as amphetamines or some anesthetics, cocaine powder is usually inhaled, however, it is also common to inject.
There are different types of white cocaine of medium or low purity, the most popular is the one known as ‘cray’, it is named because it has a grayish white color and little brightness, this variety is very euphoric. There is also another category called “yellow cocaine”. The most characteristic of these is the strong smell of gasoline or kerosene. They’re the most powerful of them all.
Cocaine is also found in the “basic” form. This is commonly referred to as “crack”. Its use began to spread when the authorities activated strong restrictions on the chemicals needed to obtain cocaine hydroclodism, which has pushed the price of cocaine to levels inaccessible to many consumers, a situation that has led to the commercialization of the base, which is up to 15 times cheaper.
Crack is a mixture of cocaine chloride and other chemicals, such as ammonia, ether and baking soda. It usually smokes in tubes and its effects are much more severe than those of cocaine chloride. It is also potentially more addictive and increases the risk of death. What’s his name? Crack? Because of the sound it makes when it’s crushed.
Another type of cocaine is the so-called? Bazuca or coca paste, also known as ‘cocaine sulfate’, this is because up to 50% of this substance is a sulfate, in its preparation highly toxic components such as methanol or sulfuric acid are used, usually combined with marijuana or tobacco and smoked.
Crack and bazooka produce a “flash” effect. This means that it is fast and very potent, so addicts must consume several successive doses to prolong the effect, both have a high risk of overdose.
The effects of cocaine appear almost immediately after use, sometimes last a few minutes and sometimes up to an hour, the substance causes a feeling of euphoria and great vitality, the consumer feels mentally alert and sharpens their sensory perceptions, especially in sight. , hearing and touch.
It is common for cocaine to reduce the need for eating and sleeping; some consumers say that the drug helps them do their job at a much faster rate; others, on the other hand, find that it slows them down.
The duration and intensity of the effect depends on the types of cocaine used and the method used to ingest it, the faster the absorption, the greater the intensity of the effect, but also shorter, sometimes feelings of restlessness, anxiety and irritability appear. Spasms, paranoia and dizziness are also common.
From an organic point of view, cocaine alters heart rate and can cause headaches, abdominal pain and vomiting; in case of overdose, the consumer may have seizures, strokes or go into a coma; Sudden death is not common, but cardiac arrests resulting in death.
The main long-term effect of cocaine is severe dependence. Because the addictive potential is extremely high, it is not possible for a person to predict how much the drug will need after first use. There is also a high risk of relapse when you stop taking it, which even occurs several years after you have left the medicine.
The brain adapts to cocaine use. This means that the feeling of gratification is drowsy, so the addict must take higher or more frequent doses to get the same pleasurable feeling as the first few times, over time the uncomfortable effects of the drug begin to increase, such as feelings of anxiety, paranoia or outbursts of anger.
In the most severe cases the sense of reality is lost for long periods of time, hallucinations appear, mainly auditory, and it is possible to enter a state of paranoid psychosis.
Cocaine fractures and destroys personality and turns the consumer’s life around.
MRI images show that in a cocaine addict’s brain there is a decrease in dopamine receptors, the consequence is that the person becomes unable to feel naturally rewarding sensations.
It is very difficult to predict the fate of a person addicted to cocaine, as it depends on many factors, including luck, as long as consumption is maintained, the risk of death gradually increases, so do attacks on personality and relationships with others. .
Dependence on this type of substance often results in illegal crimes or actions to obtain the drug.
Experiments are currently underway with various drug treatments, but none of them have passed all the tests.
Support and self-help groups are always an excellent alternative, usually accompanied by individual therapy, which, combined with adequate nutrition, a constant exercise program and a support network, seems to work well in most cases.
No matter what type of cocaine comes into contact with, getting out of addiction is not easy, so prevention is always the best, cocaine is not a drug to test out of curiosity or to live a new experience, a single consumption has the potential to trigger a series of situations that, in the long run, can end up becoming a tragedy.