Cocaine, Race, And The War On Drugs - 1791 Words

Cocaine, Race, and the War on Drugs This paper aims will provide a concise history of drugs deriving from the erythroxylum coca plant and the sociological impact powder and crack cocaine legislation in the American justice system. Cocaine is a naturally occurring substance deriving from the Erythroxylum coca plant. The coca plant is autogenous to Indonesia, South America, Mexico and the West Indies. Historically, many cultures have utilized coca leaves for religious and ceremonial applications. Cocaine itself remains prevalent in literary and artist works of many cultures and continues to be represented in archeological finds around the world. In South America the leaves were often chewed to help the indigenous tribes overcome hunger. To many other civilizations it was considered a sacred gift from the gods. Cocaine was often used as local anesthetic for a plethora of ailments. It wasn’t until the mid-1800s that a PhD student in Germany created an isolated cocaine alkaloid that would be used as the first anesthetic. Albert Niemann, the student who perfected cocaine purification process, noted many properties of drug. One journal esteemed its bitter taste and temporary numbness the pharmaceutical caused. By the late 1800s, the drug’s known applications became increasingly popular. Cocaine became the go-to cure for everything from epidurals to tooth aches. When combined with alcohol, the resulting cocaethylene generated a potent concoction with potent effects, making cocaineShow MoreRelatedMass Incarceration Essay1278 Words   |  6 Pagesprison population is growing and what are the core reasons. Has our society caused mass incarceration? Is it based on conflict theory or social stratification? 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