Cocaine. Which bells did it ring at the mention of the drug?
Kate Moss
Caught on camera in 2005 snorting cocaine off a CD jewel box. Lost a lot of big names’ projects when Chanel, H&M, and Burberry severed ties with her.
Paris Hilton
Socialite and fashionista who was arrest in Vegas in 2010 after a 0.8 gram bag of cocaine was found on her. She pled guilty and got off on provation, USD2,000 of fines, and community service.
Bruno Mars
Also arrested in Vegas in 2010 for cocaine possession, but a lot more than what Paris had on her. He had 2.6 grams on him. After pleading guilty, he received a probationary sentence of USD2,000 fine, 200 hours of community service at a non-profit organisation and eight hours with a drug counsellor in Los Angeles.
But where did the history of the usage of cocaine start? How and when did it become recreational?
On 23rd September 2012 (Sunday) at 8pm, HISTORY (Astro Channel 555 / Beyond Package 575) will be airing a two-hour special that goes inside the history of the second most used illicit drug in America. The human appetite for this narcotic goes all the way back to 3000 B.C., when South Americans chewed coca leaves, thinking they were a gift from God. But it wasn’t until 1855, when cocaine was first extracted from the coca leaf and used in powder form that its use spiked.
Initially, it was utilized as an anesthesia. Soon, famed psychologist Sigmund Freud touted it as an effective cure for depression and impotence. In 1886, John Pemberton, an Atlanta pharmacist, added it to his new soft drink: Coca Cola or Coke for short. In 1914, the drug was outlawed, but the damages had been done. The 70’s ushered in another boost in the drug’s use, fueled in part by new drug cartels in South America.
To combat cocaine’s rise, the Reagan administration started the “War on Drugs” in the 80s.
More will be revealed on 23rd September 2012 (Sunday) so don’t forget to turn on HISTORY (Astro Channel 555 / Beyond Package 575) at 8pm.
