How has cocaine been used throughout history?
The leaves of the coca plant have been chewed by the inhabitants of the South American regions where it grows for millennia. After the Spanish arrived in South America, they eventually recognized the potential for the plant. Although the plant was used in many ways throughout history, it was not until the mid 19th century that the cocaine alkaloid (a chemical compound that occurs in nature) first became isolated. Throughout history, medical uses have included hunger suppression and anesthesia for ophthalmology and other medical fields. The substance gained popularity outside the medical field as well. For example, in the 1800s, a wine was made that included cocaine, and the original recipe for Coca-Cola included some amount of the leaves of the coca plant. Regulation of cocaine first was legislated in 1914 when the Harrison Act prohibited non-medical use of cocaine. Partly as a result of this act, and partly because other drugs entered the market around this time, cocaine use dropped o
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