Wednesday, May 23, 2007

COCAINE

COAINE :is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system and an appetite suppressant, giving rise to what has been described as a euphoric sense of happiness and increased energy. It is most often used recreationally for this effect. Nonetheless, cocaine is formally used in medicine as a topical anesthetic, specifically in eye, nose and throat surgery.[1]
In modern Western countries, cocaine has been a feature of the counterculture for over a century. There is a long list of prominent intellectuals, artists, politicians, and musicians who have used the drug — ranging from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Sigmund Freud to former U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant. Cocaine could be found in Coca-Cola for several decades after the beverage's release, though that is no longer the case.[2]
Its possession, cultivation, and distribution are illegal for non-medicinal and non-government sanctioned purposes in virtually all parts of the world. The name comes from the name of the coca plant in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming Cocaine. Today, although its free commercialization is illegal and has been severely penalized in virtually all countries, its use worldwide remains widespread in many social, cultural, and personal settings.

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