Cocaine is a strongly addictive stimulant drug, made from the leaves of the coca plant. It produces short-term excitement, energy, and talkativeness in addition to potentially risky physical effects, such as raising heart rate and blood pressure. Cocaine can be inhaled, smoked, and injected into bloodstream. When cocaine is inhaled its intensity and duration is slow it may take 15 to 30 minutes, however, when smoked or injected it is quicker and stronger and may last 5 to 10 minutes (National Institute on Drug Abuse [NIDA],2013,para 4). Cocaine is a strong central nervous system stimulant that rises levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain circuits regulating desire and movement. Cocaine prevents reuptake of dopamine, causing excessive
