Cocaine is a substance that has been around for thousands of years and it was actually used as a medicine for patients. It has been used in medicine for its numbing effects for treatments such as surgery or tooth aches. However, cocaine was found to be extremely addictive which caused it to be an illegal substance. Currently cocaine is a Schedule I controlled substance and people can do hard time for just possessing the drug.

Cocaine is made from the cocoa plant and is harvested throughout the world.  Cocaine is used by thousands of people regardless of its negative effects that people may not be aware of. Cocaine dependance is a constant ongoing problem in the world and the effects of cocaine usage can be traumatic.

There are many effects of cocaine usage that include short term and long term. Cocaine is an extremely powerful central nervous system stimulant. The effects of cocaine can last anywhere from 10 minutes to 2-3 hours depending on type of ingestion used. Cocaine has the same effects as many stimulants however it is much more dangerous and powerful. Some short term effects of cocaine usage include:

1. Feeling of euphoria and well-being
2. Increased alertness
3. Motor activity and energy increased
4. Increased heart rate
5. Increase in blood pressure

As the user feels the initial effects of cocaine usage they will often try to to use cocaine more and more because their brain can become dependant on the substance. Cocaine dependance causes people to chase that first feeling of using cocaine, however this feeling can never be achieved again. The first time a user ingests cocaine their brain is flooded with a dopamine.

Dopamine is a substance that causes feelings of happiness, euphoria and well being. Once this initial rush of dopamine is over, the user feels the effects. With less dopamine in the brain the user can start to feel depressed and sad until they have access to more dopamine, which is through cocaine. This change in dopamine levels contributes to cocaine dependancy because your brain actually is re-wired because it wants more dopamine flooded in the brain due to the cocaine.

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