Possession of Cocaine

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Cocaine is an alkaloid present in Coca leaves (Erythyroxine coca). Its pharmacological properties, such as stimulation of the brain and central nervous system plus its profound euphoric effects, have been known for centuries. Cocaine has been used medicinally as a local anesthetic agent, but its addictive properties have minimized its modern daily use. Once considered a panacea for all sorts of ailments, Cocaine was readily available as the principle ingredient in patent medicines sold over the counter in the late 1800s and early 1900s. And indeed cocaine was the “secret” ingredient in the original recipe for Coca-Cola©. Cocaine is most often self-administered by IV injection, nasal insufflations (snorting), and inhalation of vapor from the heating of the free base (smoking). The availability of “crack” (a street form of the free base) has increased cocaine use by the latter method. Body elimination of cocaine is predominantly controlled by its bio-transformation. Very low concentrations of cocaine are detected in urine during the initial several hours, however benzoylecgonine, a hydrolytic degradation product or system metabolite of cocaine, persists in urine at a detectable level for 48 hours. Immunoassay testing has been developed for the determination of benzoylecgonine (cocaine metabolite) in urine at concentrations of 300 ng/ml or greater, the sensitivity cutoff level set by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

The QuickScreen™ One-Step Rapid Cocaine Test utilizes a unique combination of monoclonal antibodies to selectively identify cocaine and its major metabolites in urine with a high degree of sensitivity. The test kit is a rapid, visually read screening method that does not require special instrumentation or training.