Description: Cocaine Abuse Treatment and Warning Signs. Get help for a cocaine addiction find treatment and get prevention info. Statistics and Facts about drug abuse. What is cocaine, how is it made, effects, withdrawal, treatment, and more.
When one hears the word "cocaine," nowadays, images of addiction and desperation generally come to mind. And with good reason. From the coca plant's beginnings as a source of medicine and use in religious ceremonies, it has evolved into a potent drug that has taken the lives of thousands.
Cocaine is processed from the leaves of the coca plant. While the plant has been used for thousands of years by the peoples of Bolivia and Peru, it has only relatively recently found a wider audience in drug use. Cocaine substance abuse started in the mid-19th century, after cocaine was first processed out of the coca leaf, using acid to crystallize it into a potent salt substance. In the early 1900s, cocaine was included in the many fashionable tonics sold to treat a variety of illnesses.
Now, even though cocaine is still used in very specific medical circumstances (usually as a local anesthetic for operations on the throat, eyes and ears), it is mainly known for its addictive qualities. And for good reason. Cocaine can cause severe health problems and even result in death.