Alex Atwood's Blog: Is Cocaine a Narcotic

Definition of Cocaine

Cocaine is a potent stimulant drug that comes from the coca plant leaves. South American people used the drug chewed the leaves of the coca plant to help them perform at work. The Andes Mountain is well-known for its altitude; workers consume the drug to help them breathe in thin air.

In the country, the government labeled cocaine as a Schedule II drug. This type of drugs contains addictive properties and poses health hazards. Even though cocaine generates addiction, the medical community still uses cocaine as a local anesthesia for the eye, ear, and throat surgeries.

The drug commonly sold illegally as a fine, white and crystalline powder. Because of its appearance, dealers often mix cocaine with non-psychoactive substances like flour, cornstarch, and baking soda to yield more of the drug, increasing their profits.

Street names of cocaine include:

C
coke
snow
powder
blow

If the health hazards are not enough, some users mix the drug with other drugs like heroin or coined as a ‘speedball’.

History of Cocaine

Cocaine hydrochloride is the purest form and was first discovered more than 100 years ago. It acts as the main ingredient for several elixirs and tonics. Even the famous Coca-Cola got its name from cocaine, as it used it as their main ingredient for the drink. People in the early times believed that these tonics can cure various illnesses.

Over the past few years, studies show that cocaine can generate addiction easily and can damage brain structures and its functions. Today, users snort, smoke and inject cocaine to get the intense high it produces.

How Cocaine is consumed

As a fast acting drug, cocaine can take effect within 2 seconds up to several minutes after taking it. The effect usually last from 5 minutes to 90 minutes.

Short-term effects of cocaine include:

loss of contact with the real world
intense feeling of happiness
agitation
fast heart rate
sweating
dilates pupils

Long-term effects of the drug are as follows:

high blood pressure
high body temperature
anxiety
sleep disorders
paranoia
tremors and muscle twitches
nausea and vomiting
rapid and weak pulse
chest pain
heart attack
kidney failure
seizures
convulsions
brain hemorrhage
stroke

What is narcotics?

Narcotics comes from the Greek word, “to make numb”, initially referring to the psychoactive compound that induces sleep. In the United States, narcotics are often associated with opiates and opioids. Some of the drugs under this group include morphine, heroin, and codeine.

Today, the term narcotics are sometimes associated with negative implications. However, in the medical community, narcotics are more defined and do not carry the same negative implications. In the US legal context, narcotics would simply mean prohibited drugs. It can also suggest drugs that are under strict government regulation like cannabis and cocaine.

Also, narcotics is not a technical term and do not have a strict definition. The term varied throughout history. In medical term, it means any sort of drugs that induces sleep or produces ‘tranquilizing effect’.

The side effects of Narcotics:

Narcotics can reduce pain in the body and produces several more side effects such as:

euphoric feeling
an altered or heightened sense of well-being
sleepiness
lethargic
loss of appetite
stomach upsets
nausea
vomiting
speech problems
seizures
decreased heart rate

Narcotics and its legality

The legislative classification of narcotics carries heavy penalties for violating the regulations. Under the law, narcotics are:

Drugs considered as depressants or dull the senses.
Used as a generic term for drugs that cannot be legally sold, possessed or transported aside for medical purposes. A person who needs to use the drug needs to get a valid medical prescription from doctors.

Is Cocaine a Narcotic?

The US Food and Drug Administration classified cocaine as a Schedule II drug in 1922. Because it contains properties like:

High potential for abuse
Accepted for specific medical treatment in the country or medical drugs with severe regulations to follow. In short, cocaine has a high potential for abuse with few medical purposes.
Prolonged abuse can lead to chronic psychological or physical dependence.

Drugs classified under Schedule II usually generate addiction and are dangerous. Breaking the regulation under this class of drugs is punishable under the law and would mean longer prison times. In most states and under the law, classification of cocaine enforces severe penalties compare to other non-narcotic drugs.

Cocaine and Narcotics

Narcotics have more broad terms that it includes cocaine under its specifications. Even though cocaine does not belong to these drugs, the government classified cocaine as narcotic because of its detrimental side effects. These drugs act as a downer in the central nervous system or referred to as a ‘downer’. Meanwhile, cocaine is a stimulant and does not fall under this drug classification. Similarly, ‘downers’ particularly opiate affect the brain differently compares to cocaine, as ‘uppers’.

So in summary cocaine is not a narcotic but is labeled as such to impose heavy fines and penalties to those who will break the law.

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