Part of the reason for cocaine's rise in popularity was due to the fact that early on, many people didn't understand that the drug could have harmful side effects for those who use it. It wasn't until the early 1970's that the drug was made illegal and by that time there was already millions of Americans who were using cocaine. This allowed drug dealers such as those in Colombia to set up cartels that operated out of Colombia and made huge profits from the drug trade throughout the 70's and 80's and even continuing in to the present. Although the United States Government has done a lot in the past few decades to educate the public and restrict cocaine's distribution, I believe it's popularity and marketability before that time has made it a major player in the financing of the nation's overall drug market throughout the years.

COCAINE USE FACTS...
[ View Full Essay]