.: Our Guide To...

Cocaine

What it looks like	Cocaine is actually cocaine hydrochloride. It comes from the leaves of the coca plant. The leaves go through a complicated chemical process to get the gritty white powder that people then use. The leaves can be chewed but the effects are weaker than the powder.
Nicknames	coke, charlie, white, snow, blow and toot.
Top Facts	If you use Cocaine you can: Feel as though you are powerful Feel a false sense of confidence Become incredibly paranoid and very scared Feel as though you want to use it again as soon as the effects have worn off Feel as though you have loads of energy Feel as though you can do anything Feel as though you are in control Talk a lot quicker Put strain on your heart which can lead to a heart attack. It can also effect the way your eyes work and can lead to blindness
Important Stuff	No fun after - Cocaine takes the user really high, which means the after effects are going to be nasty. The user feels exhausted, really sad, irritable, twitchy and depressed. Ouch - Using cocaine can seriously damage your nose. The powder is not that fine and rubs at the inside of the nose as the drug goes in. It messes up the small vessels on the inside of the nose and over time kills them. The powder rubs at the flesh and if you use a lot it can mean the middle part of you nose (the septum) can waste away and come out. This has happened to some famous people.