increase temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. Cocaine also reduces fatigue and mental clarity. Chronic cocaine stimulant abuse can lead to cerebral ischemia, cerebral hemorrhage, infarctions, optic neuropathy, cerebral atrophy, cognitive impairments, mood and movements disorders. Cocaine is known to degenerate gray matter, and therefore reduces the volume of some key brain regions. This loss can cause processing problems in many of the decision-making areas of the cortex as well as interfere with memory systems. Cocaine production begins in Peru, Bolivia, and Colombia. Farmers harvest and dry the leaves and then processed into coca paste, cocaine base is extracted from the paste in informal laboratories, usually in Peru and Bolivia. Further processing continues in Colombia, where, the white powder, cocaine hydrochloride, is produced for export. Once in the United Stated the cocaine is "cut" usually with talc, sugar or baking soda and sold for further processed into crack. People can obtain cocaine fairly easy on the streets from drug dealers. Rocks can sell for as low as $3-$50. Crack and cocaine are most often packaged in plastic bags and sold in small quantit
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