Claim: Coca is a plant.

Cocaine , also known as coke , is a strong stimulant mostly used as a recreational drug . It is commonly snorted , inhaled as smoke , or as a solution injected into a vein . Mental effects may include loss of contact with reality , an intense feeling of happiness , or agitation . Physical symptoms may include a fast heart rate , sweating , and large pupils . High doses can result in very high blood pressure or body temperature . Effects begin within seconds to minutes of use and last between five and ninety minutes . Cocaine has a small number of accepted medical uses such as numbing and decreasing bleeding during nasal surgery .   Cocaine is addictive due to its effect on the reward pathway in the brain . After a short period of use , there is a high risk that dependence will occur . Its use also increases the risk of stroke , myocardial infarction , lung problems in those who smoke it , blood infections , and sudden cardiac death . Cocaine sold on the street is commonly mixed with local anesthetics , cornstarch , quinine , or sugar which can result in additional toxicity . Following repeated doses a person may have decreased ability to feel pleasure and be very physically tired .   Cocaine acts by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin , norepinephrine , and dopamine . This results in greater concentrations of these three neurotransmitters in the brain . It can easily cross the blood -- brain barrier and may lead to the breakdown of the barrier . Cocaine is made from the leaves of the coca plant which are mostly grown in South America . In 2013 , 419 kilograms were produced legally . It is estimated that the illegal market for cocaine is 100 to 500 billion USD each year . With further processing crack cocaine can be produced from cocaine .   After cannabis , cocaine is the most frequently used illegal drug globally . Between 14 and 21 million people use the drug each year . Use is highest in North America followed by Europe and South America . Between one and three percent of people in the developed world have used cocaine at some point in their life . In 2013 cocaine use directly resulted in 4,300 deaths , up from 2,400 in 1990 . The leaves of the coca plant have been used by Peruvians since ancient times . Cocaine was first isolated from the leaves in 1860 . Since 1961 the international Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs has required countries to make recreational use of cocaine a crime .