What is cocaine hydrochloride used for? Details of White House Hazmat incident explored

On Sunday, July 2, the White House experienced a hazmat incident when the US Secret Service (USSS) found an “unknown item” and evacuated its premises. The item was later revealed to be cocaine hydrochloride, a hazmat (hazardous material) that is often used as a local anesthetic during minor surgical procedures of the mouth, nose, and throat.

US Secret Service personnel were doing their usual sweeping of the White House grounds when they found the hazardous material. This is when the Uniform Division Officers of the USSS were alerted, soon after which everyone on the ground was removed.

The DC Fire Department’s Hazmat Team was called in for further investigation, while Emergency Medical Services (EMS) also responded to evaluate the situation.

Until the item was identified, the US Secret Service blocked the roads around the West Wing of the White House, especially the area near 17th and 18th Street, Ellipse, Lafayette Park, and Pennsylvania Avenue.

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All there is to know about cocaine hydrochloride, the hazmat discovered in the White House

When the hazmat team of the US Secret Service, DC Fire Department, and Emergency Medical Services tested the “unknown item” found in the White House, the results came back positive for cocaine hydrochloride.

Cocaine, an addictive drug, is a naturally occurring chemical derived from the coca plant (usually synthetically) and is often used as a local anesthetic or as an illegal stimulant. It is said to directly affect the brain and the entire nervous system. Its effects include short-term euphoria, excessive talking, and in severe cases, enhanced blood pressure and heart rate.

According to medicinenet.com, cocaine, when turned into a substance called cocaine hydrochloride, is said to act as an advanced local anesthetic that helps block the conduction of nerve impulses.

This hazardous material that was recently found in the White House premises is typically used to numb the area around the mouth lining, nose, and throat, ahead of surgical procedures. This allows doctors to carry out operations without causing discomfort or pain.

In fact, cocaine hydrochloride is better than raw cocaine, as it lowers the risk of abuse and can only be found for clinical use. It is mainly administered by cotton applicators, packs, sprays, or in rare cases, instilled into dental cavities.

Doctors also often prescribe it as a generic drug. Its common side effects include dizziness, nervousness, restlessness, nausea, and euphoria. In contrast, the severe side effects are fever, mood swings, seizures, difficulty in breathing, excessive vomiting, and prolonged numbness.

The dose of cocaine hydrochloride is based on various factors such as the area that needs to be anesthetized, individual patient tolerance, vascularity of tissues, and the whole anesthetic technique. Children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, the differently-abled, people with hypertension and brain disorders, and senior citizens should steer clear of cocaine hydrochloride.

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Here's what a hazmat incident means

Hazmat incidents, like the recent one at the White House, is a kind of safety-related event that involves the uncontrolled and intentional release of one or more toxic substances into a surrounding where humans or other living beings can be exposed and eventually be harmed if not tackled immediately.

Hazmat incidents may include minor spills, major spills, or other kinds of narcotic emergencies. They may also be biological, chemical, or radioactive in nature.