Coca

Coca refers to any of the four cultivated plants in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. It is known worldwide for its psychoactive alkaloid, cocaine. The leaves contain cocaine, which acts as a mild stimulant when chewed or consumed as tea; this traditional use involves slower absorption than purified cocaine, and there is no evidence of addiction or withdrawal symptoms from such natural consumption. The coca plant is a shrub-like bush with curved branches, oval leaves m...