Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant drug that is frequently found in the form of a white powder. People use it by snorting it, rubbing it on the gums, injecting it or smoking a rock form of it known as crack cocaine.^1,2

Unfortunately, cocaine’s addictive qualities can cause people to use it repeatedly, which, over time, can cause changes in the brain that may affect how it functions.¹

What Is Cocaine?

Cocaine comes from the coca plant, which is mostly grown in Colombia, Bolivia and Peru. The drug is manufactured in these countries in clandestine laboratories with a number of different chemicals.

Once processed, it is trafficked through South and Central America to Mexico to be smuggled into the United States, or shipped to markets in other parts of the world. The Colombian cartels were historically the biggest players in the cocaine trade. But Mexico has seized a larger foothold in recent years.

On the street, cocaine may be referred to as coke, blow, snow or powder.^1,2

Effects of Cocaine

The short- and long-term effects of cocaine use can vary depending on the person and can include:^1,2

Euphoria.
Increased alertness.
Rapid heartbeat.
Raised body temperature.
Talkativeness.
Restlessness.
Irritability.
Pupil dilation.
Decreased appetite.

Where Does Cocaine Come From?

Cocaine is extracted and processed from coca plants in South America on the ridge of the Andes mountains or in lowland jungles such as those found in Colombia.^{1, 2, 4} The vast majority of cocaine production occurs in Colombia, Peru and Bolivia, as those countries are the main places where the coca plant can be grown naturally and in sufficient quantities to produce mass amounts of cocaine.^{3, 4, 5, 6}

In 2008, Colombia and Peru produced about 450 metric tons of pure cocaine each. Bolivia produced 113 metric tons of pure cocaine.⁴ More recent estimates from 2014 show that Colombia is growing more coca plants than Peru and Bolivia combined.

Since Colombian coca plants provide less cocaine than Peruvian or Bolivian plants, Colombian cocaine production units may need to harvest significantly more coca plants just to produce similar amounts of cocaine.^{4, 5} Chile is also becoming known for making cocaine.⁶

Coca plants are grown, refined and processed in local areas, often in protected sites such as native reserves, national parks and areas along the border, which are off-limits to aerial spraying efforts to kill the crops.^{4, 5}

What Is Cocaine Made Of?

Cocaine, as the world knows it, is actually cocaine hydrochloride. It is 1 of 14 alkaloids that naturally occur in the coca plant. Out of over 200 plant species, there are only 2 types of coca leaf that contain enough cocaine alkaloid for cocaine production. Generally, coca leaves can be harvested 3-6 times a year. But in some areas, the coca leaf can be harvested up to 8 times a year, depending on where the plant grows and the specific species.⁴

How Is Cocaine Produced?

How is cocaine made? Various methods are used to make cocaine.

In one method, dried coca leaves are soaked with lime water or other alkaline liquids and then extracted with kerosene in metal drums.^{2, 5, 6} Workers use sulfuric acid to extract the dissolved cocaine and form a liquid solution to which lime is added, leading to precipitation of coca paste.²

Workers then add acid and potassium to remove impurities, followed by a bicarbonate, to cause the base to separate.^2,6 The base is further dissolved in a solvent like acetone and then soaked again in acid. Finally, the cocaine paste is filtered through a cloth to separate, then dried.^2,3,4,6

Alternately, the base can be dissolved in a solvent, such as acetone, ether or ethyl acetate, and heated in a bath of hot water. Methyl ethyl ketone is another solvent that workers add to the hot liquid mixture, along with hydrochloric acid, leading to cocaine hydrochloride crystallizing in the solution. Solvents are pressed out by hand, followed by a hydraulic press, then the mixture is heated in a microwave to create cocaine powder.⁶

It takes about 450-600 kilograms of fresh Colombian coca leaves to create 1 kilogram of cocaine base. The cocaine base can then be converted into a kilogram of cocaine hydrochloride or powdered cocaine. However, this amount differs from other species of coca leaves, since one species has higher levels of cocaine alkaloid and requires fewer leaves to create cocaine base.³

Crack Cocaine Process

Powdered cocaine can be further processed into crack by first mixing it into a solution of either ammonia or a combination of baking soda and water, then heating that mixture to create a substance that forms rocks for smoking.^{1, 2, 6} Alternately, an alkali substance can be mixed into a heated liquid cocaine solution that then settles to the bottom of as a solid. Some adulterants, or cutting agents, can be filtered out through the creation of crack cocaine.²

How Is Cocaine Distributed?

Once cocaine is processed, distribution occurs. Distribution is a complex chain that usually involves many different groups.

First, the growers of coca plants sell the leaves or coca paste to laboratories for processing. Farmers or cartels own the labs, and the cocaine base or cocaine hydrochloride then changes hands into local cocaine trafficking agents. They smuggle and sell the cocaine to a larger organization that can arrange for another organization to ship it into other countries.⁷

Distributors circulate cocaine through South and Central America, where they then smuggle it to Mexico, or less frequently through the Caribbean. The majority ends up in the United States, though some of it is sent to Europe, Australia, Africa or Asia.^{3, 7}

The drug is often transported from Colombia to Mexico or Central America by sea, and then into the United States via land borders. It is estimated that about 90% of U.S. cocaine comes through the U.S.-Mexico border, mostly through Texas. A smaller amount comes through California and Arizona.⁷

Once the cocaine is in the United States, distributors sell it to wholesale dealers. These dealers sell it to mid-level drug dealers, who in turn sell it to low-level street dealers, from whom consumers can purchase quantities of the drug.⁷ Street dealers often employ a number of individuals to play roles such as holders, transporters (also called mules), delivery people, counters of money or incoming drugs, people to keep a watch, backup personnel and enforcers of debt payments.⁸

What Is Cocaine Cut With?

Along the supply chain, cocaine is cut with adulterants to reduce its purity and create a larger profit margin.^{1, 3} Common cutting agents include amphetamines, baking sugars, caffeine, acetaminophen (Tylenol), cornstarch, flour, talcum powder and anesthetics, including procaine.^{1, 2, 4}

American Addiction Centers has helped thousands recover from addiction and we can help you or your loved one too. Check your insurance to find out instantly if your insurance provider may be able to cover all or part of the cost of rehab and associated therapies. You can also sign up 24/7 text support for cocaine addiction questions at your convenience.

Who Controls the Cocaine Trade?

The major countries in the cocaine trade include those where coca plants are grown and processed, such as Colombia, Bolivia and Peru. Countries that transport cocaine across national lines, such as Mexico or Caribbean countries including Haiti, the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic, are also big players.^{3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9}

Colombian trafficking groups, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and ELN (National Liberation Army) guerilla groups, armed revolutionary gangs and rural bands of guerillas purchase coca leaves or coca paste from local farmers, process the product and negotiate transportation into other countries.^{5, 7}

Mexican drug cartels, such as the Guadalajara Cartel, often transport cocaine from South America into the United States and other countries and are distributors rather than suppliers.^{3, 4}

Mexican cartels formerly operated as junior partners for the Colombian cartels. But crackdowns on the Caribbean route and on Colombian cartels led to Mexican cartels playing a larger role in trafficking cocaine to North America. They began to collect more of the profits from the cocaine trade.³

Mexican cartels also operate labs in Central and South America to process coca leaves into cocaine. They have expanded their cocaine distribution efforts to Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe.³

Cocaine use in the United States declined significantly from 10.5 million people in 1982 to 5.3 million people in 2008.⁷ However, more recent estimates show the United States as the primary consumer, followed by Brazil, Australia and Europe.⁹ Other areas, including Africa and Asia, are also consuming more cocaine.^{4, 7, 9}

In 2012, the cocaine market worldwide was valued at approximately $70 billion annually.⁴

Need Help With Cocaine Addiction?

If you or a loved one is struggling with a cocaine use disorder, getting help is an important start to your recovery journey. There are many cocaine addiction treatment options that may be effective for people struggling with cocaine misuse, including:

Inpatient treatment programs for drug or alcohol addiction are those in which a person lives in the treatment facility to receive 24/7 care and support for their substance use disorder. This may include various types of individual and group therapy, detox, treatment for co-occurring mental health conditions, amenities and aftercare programs. The program may be 28 or 30 days, 60 days or 90 days long. Depending on the level of care determined by a clinician, a person may also need medically managed inpatient services, which offer 24-hour nursing care and physician care for the most acute instances of cocaine addiction and occurring medical or mental health conditions.¹⁰

Outpatient treatment programs can include many of the same therapeutic offerings and services as inpatient treatment but do not require people to stay in the facility. This allows people to continue working and/or going to school while they actively pursue recovery.

12-Step programs involve attending support groups that provide peer support to people as they recover from substance use disorders and other compulsive behaviors. They can help people address behavioral struggles and common triggers associated with their addiction while gaining valuable tools to take on their recovery journey.

If you or a loved one is ready to get help for cocaine addiction, American Addiction Centers is here to help. Our compassionate navigators understand the struggles associated with substance use disorders and can help you understand treatment options to make sure you choose the treatment type that meets your needs. Contact us today at to get started on the road to recovery. You can also check your insurance coverage online now to determine whether your insurance provider will cover rehabilitation treatment.

How Cocaine Is Made and Its Dangers