Covalent Compound: Cocaine
Cocaine, also known as coke, is a covalent compound, which are molecules that consist of groups of atoms held together by covalent or coordinate bonds. In the United States cocaine is an illegal drug because of the harm it does to a human's body. It has been used for many years for many different reasons by many different people.
Cocaine and it's leaves, which are found on the plant of the Erythroxylen coca (cocaine.org), originated by the South American Indians who have used cocaine for at least 5,000 year. The coca leaves were chewed for different purposes, mainly for social, mystical, medicinal and religious reasons (Recreational Drug Information). Introduction to coca in England was pioneered early in the nineteenth century by the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew. For many years coca was used by the Spanish, where cocaine was initially banned. However, invaders found that without Inca "the gifts of gods," working natives could barely work the fields or mine gold.
An 1890s advertisement showing model Hilda Clark i...
Eric Torrey, Jason Martinez, and Cocaine
CocaineCoca was distributed three or four times a day to workers during brief rest-breaks (Cocaine.org).
Cocaine has been used recreationally for over 150 years now which first began in the 1860's. This is when cocaine was found in cigarettes, ointments, nasal sprays, and preparations sold as tonics. Coca-Cola was introduced in 1886 as "a valuable brain-tonic and cure for all nervous afflictions". Coca-cola was a temperance drink "offering the virtues of coca without the vices of alcohol". The drink was invigorating and popular. Until 1903, a normal serving contained around 60mg of cocaine. Sold today, it still contains an extract of coca-leaves. The Coca-Cola Company imports eight tons from South America each year. Nowadays the leaves are used only for flavoring since the drug has been banned (Cocaine.org). By 1914, the United States had six...