Cocaine

How it Works

Cocaine occurs naturally in the leaves of the South American coca plant, although it’s usually treated before it hits the streets. It comes as a white powder - cocaine hydrochloride - though people still chew the original coca leaves sometimes. Most Coke users sniff it up their noses using a rolled up piece of paper, or banknote to show off. Scientists think it works by overdosing your nerves on a natural brain messenger that tells them to feel pleasure, called dopamine. However, cocaine stops you making dopamine after you sniff it for a while, so you can’t feel happy again until you get more cocaine. Then you get addicted just to feel normal.

Crack is a derivative of cocaine which comes in small white crystals. When heated they make a 'crack' or 'popping' sound. Crack smoke rushes to your brain and you get a mere 2 minutes intensive rush, followed by a 20 minutes buzz and then a totally massive crash. It is very, very addictive'.

What the Law says:

It’s very illegal - a serious Class A drug, which means that you can get up to 7 years in prison and huge fines for possessing it, and Life imprisonment for supplying it.

History fact:

The West discovered cocaine in the 1870s and thought it was fantastic. Lots of energy drinks had sprinkles of it, including Coca-Cola. It wasn’t until 1900 or so that doctors realised how dangerous it is. Coke stopped using it in 1902 but kept the name.

Amazing thing about it:

99% of banknotes in London have tiny traces of cocaine on them.