Mankind has chewed it for thousands of years, has snorted and smoked it for centuries, and has now refined it to reach the brain in under four seconds. Its chemistry sustains Peruvian hill farmers and sharp-suited bankers alike, and it is the fastest growing recreational drug. The social and scientific arguments swirling around it get denser by the year. It brings euphoria and despair, obscene wealth and dire poverty. It knows no social barriers. Everything about it defies simple analysis. Frank and unbiased, this book looks at the drug's curious history, the world of drug lords and traffickers, and the politics of its production, and explains the science of cocaine addiction and its health implications.--From publisher description.