Cocaine is a word filled with symbolic and literal connotations of addiction, destruction and death. It was once considered to be a neutral drug – one that was non-addictive and safe to use in moderation. Cocaine was, for a while, particularly in the late 1970’s and 1980’s, the drug of the fast party set. It was the choice of late night partiers, students and the rich. However, as cocaine’s actual effects began to be known, as its raw form, crack, started destroying our nations inner cities and the cocaine cartels in South America became governments in and of themselves, the true social impact of the drug appeared. Cocaine continues to be associated with the rich and famous as well as the poorest of the poor. It is the purpose of this paper to examine the effects of cocaine on the individual and upon society in terms of effects on biology, abuse, addiction, detox, withdrawal and treatment.