Cocaine comes in several forms, including a water soluble powder. It can be snorted, eaten, injected or smoked.
Cocaine tends to be portrayed as a glamorous drug by Hollywood – the illicit pleasure of the rich and famous. Unlike it’s inelegant cousin, crack cocaine, who has a reputation for being the drug of choice for less-than-savory characters, cocaine is often depicted as a high society alternative to alcohol. Something one uses at parties and social gatherings to achieve a delicate and enjoyable high. Something controllable and without lasting consequences. They call it snow, blow or nose candy. Yeah, right!
The unfortunate downside of this particular social depiction is that it leads people to believe that use of cocaine, especially if it’s only occasional, is completely fine, when in reality it isn’t. Cocaine, just like crack cocaine, is illegal in Michigan and can get you into a world of trouble. Even having the drug with you, even if you haven’t used any and may not have intended to, will still result in very serious criminal charges including time in a state or federal prison.
Cocaine is a schedule 2 drug in Michigan, which means that it has been categorized as having a high potential for abuse. That may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence. In fact, according to the Michigan penal code, cocaine is illegal in ANY form or derivative. “Coca leaves and any salt, compound, derivative, or preparation thereof which is chemically equivalent to or identical to any of these substances”
In other words, cocaine is against the law in every possible form in Michigan as well as every single state in America. It is also a federal crime. So what does that mean for you? Well, it means that if you are caught using, transporting, selling, sharing or storing cocaine anywhere in the Mitten State, you may be headed off to prison. Prison is a thoroughly unglamorous place where, well, you know…. It makes no difference how classy you were before your arrest, or how much fun you had at high society parties, prison strips the class and the fun out of everything.
With that in mind, we want to answer some of your basic cocaine-related questions, and give you a clearer picture of what you’re up against when you choose to use, possess or distribute cocaine in Michigan:
What is cocaine, and why does it make you high?
Cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant, which is derived from the leaves of the coca plant. Cocaine interferes with the normal processes of the brain by flooding the pleasure-center of the brain with dopamine, creating a feeling of euphoria. However, the high doesn’t usually last long, depending on the method of administration.
If cocaine comes from a plant, isn’t it “safe” and “natural”?
This is a mistake that many people make. Just because something comes from a plant, doesn’t mean that it can be safely ingested. Remember that poison ivy, poison sumac, and deadly nightshade are plants too, and no one consumes those!
Wasn’t cocaine historically used in medicine?
Yes. Although the people of South America have been chewing the coca leaves for thousands of years, purified cocaine hydro chloride was only isolated from the plant a little over 100 years ago. It was initially used as a painkiller, and also to numb isolated areas of the body for surgery.
Join us next time, as we continue our discussion about cocaine, and what the law in Michigan has to say about it’s use. Until then, if you or a loved one have been accused of a drug-related crime in Michigan, whether it’s cocaine or some other drug like heroin, ecstasy, marijuana or prescription drugs, we are here to help. We offer our clients an aggressive, client-based defense team that has yielded many, many outstanding results over the decades. Our highly skilled drug defense attorneys are on-call 24/7 at (866) 766-5245