Cocaine in its varied forms is extracted from the coca plant that is native in South America, high mountain ranges. The coca is one of the ancient and most unsafe stimulants that existed naturally. Natives of the region use the leaves as a stimulant. The stimulating effect of the drug is known to increase the rates of breathings that raise the quantities of oxygen intake. That accorded the South American laborers the stamina to carry out their duties high altitude with thin air areas. Cocaine has evolved through history with several findings and that elicited a number of reactions especially amongst its users.
Differences in the Reactions of Cocaine Craze of the 1880s-1920s and 1970s-1990s
The initial extraction of cocaine from coca leaves was in 1859 by Albert Niemann, a German scientist. Cocaine begun to be popular in the medical community in 1880s. One of the drugs personal users, Sigmund Freud, who was an Austrian psychoanalyst, was one of the original promoters of cocaine. He advertised cocaine as a tonic that was crucial in curing sexual importance and depression (McCoy, 2003). He published an article in 1884 that was entitled “Uber Coca” that entirely supported the significant benefits of cocaine and named it the “magical” substance. Freud, on the other hand, was not an objective observer. Freud found pleasure in cocaine and utilized it regularly (Inciardi, 2008). He not only further prescribed the drug to his best friend and girlfriend, but also made a recommendation for the general use based on its medicinal value. Even when cocaine had steered people to moral decadence and physical, Freud kept on endorsing the substance (cocaine) to his immediate friends. One of Freud’s friend ended up suffering from paranoid hallucinations and white snakes creeping over their skin (Inciardi, 2008). That was quite a queer experience. Some of his patients ended dying from a dose he personally recommended for he believed that there is no lethal dose and that the toxic doses of cocaine for human beings are far too high. The craze for cocaine attained a further boost in 1886, when John Pemberton introduced the coca leaves as a special element in his new fresh drink, Coca-Cola. The energizing and euphoric effects it had on the clients assisted in the fame of Coca-Cola. From 1850s and 1900s, cocaine became widely by humans from all the social classes. The drug became more known through pro-cocaine messages and the silent film industry from Hollywood. The usage of cocaine greatly increased and the possible dangers were gradually becoming known (McCoy, 2003). By 1905, it was common to sniff cocaine and in a span of five years, health institutions and medical literature started reporting incidences of nasal damages that are caused by the usage of the drug. The United States government, in 1912, reported deaths related to cocaine that summed to 5000 in a year. The drug was officially burned in1922 (Inciardi, 2008).
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Cocaine later re-emerged in the 1970s as a trendy new drug for a number of businesspersons and entertainers. It was considered a perfect companion for a perfect trip into the first lane, following an argument that it gave energy and assisted individuals to stay up. Drug trafficking of the drug in the late 1970s started taking center stage. In the 1990s, the Columbian drug cartels produced and exported the drug to separate parts of the world (McCoy, 2003). The larger cartels were dismantled by the law enforcement units but were replaced by the small units.
The success of the Reactions
The reactions became a success especially in aiding the promotion of the drug. In the earlier times, cocaine was known to be a preserve to a particular class of people but that changed. The ancient time man recognized that cocaine was a wealthy man’s drug due to its great expense of the habit (Inciardi, 2008). The drug was promoted in magazines and ads and it became popular. That changed by the late 1980s when cocaine was a drug of choice associated to the wealthy people in the society. By such a time, it was seen as an American most addictive and dangerous drug that was linked to crime, poverty and death (McCoy, 2003).
Consequences of the Reactions
Earlier cocaine craze had some positive effects and associated with greatness. The earlier reactions led to the spread of the drug despite the negative effects that the drug had. It was predominantly seen as a magical drug that could increase strength and activity. Death cases were noted even among the high dosage users. Some persons suffered from paranoid hallucinations and indicated funny non-coherent despicable behavior (McCoy, 2003).
In a specific incident or another, the addictiveness of cocaine and physical damages were seen. William Halsted, A young New York surgeon started its use through surgical procedures. He gave a test of the drug by ultimately providing an injection of the drug into his legs and arms and into those of his students and friends. William Halsted rapidly became a non-functional addict and as a result, could not practice medicine any longer (Inciardi, 2008).
In conclusion, it can be noted that the craze on cocaine has evolved over time. In the 1880s-1920s, cocaine was considered as a medicine despite the negative consequences that could be noted and a preserve for the rich in the society. The drug re-emerged in the 1970s as a trendy drug for artists and businesspersons. The adverse effects of the drug led to the burn of the drug by US government and a majority of administrations across the world
References
McCoy, A. W. (2003). The politics of heroin: CIA complicity in the global drug trade, Afghanistan, Southeast Asia, Central America.
Inciardi, J. A. (2008). The war on drugs IV: The continuing saga of the mysteries and miseries of intoxication, addiction, crime, and public policy . Boston, MA: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
