Cocaine is a powerful stimulant
derived from the the coca plant,
Erythroxylum coca,
which grows in the North West of South America.
In its unrefined state, coca leaves alleviate
feelings of hunger and illness due to high
altitudes. It is a mild stimulant and gives the
mouth a numb feeling. Powder cocaine
(or Cocaine Hydrochloride) is a refined version
typically taken by cutting up the cocaine into lines
and then snorting them through a rolled up banknote.
Crack
cocaine is
produced by mixing the acidic Cocaine Hydrochloride
with an alkaline substance such as bicarbonate of
soda to produce a smokeable form of cocaine.
