Difference between cocaine and caffeine
Cocaine and Caffeine are substances that are essentially stimulants in nature. These two substances vary in their production, distribution and consumption. Stimulants generally stimulate our nervous system thereby bringing in a sense of alertness and greatly increase both our mental and physical capabilities and bring about a sense of feeling good and at times far too good.
The origin of Cocaine is from the leaves of the coca plant. It comes in the form of a tropane alkaloid and is crystalline in nature. It is both an anesthetic as well as a stimulant. While the legality of cocaine lies in its usage for medicinal purposes, yet the cultivation, production and possession of this substance is totally illegal are rigidly sanctioned in almost all the governments in the world. It is rather interesting to not that the original recipe of Coca Cola contained cocaine which was changed after the United States passed the Pure Food and Drug Act.
Caffeine on the other hand is taken by human beings while consuming coffee, tea and other beverages created from caffeine rich plants. Caffeine is a psychoactive stimulant that prevents sleepiness and results in restoration of alertness. Despite the fact that it is a psychoactive stimulant, it is legal for consumption. Caffeine is a xanthine alkaloid which was first isolated from the coffee plant and is also found to exist in fruits, leaves and beans and acts as a pesticide, paralyzing or killing insects feeding on the plant.
The effects of Cocaine and Caffeine are the same as they give rise to more alertness in us. Although cocaine also performs the function of an appetite suppressor and an anesthetic, yet consumption of cocaine on a regular basis has a detrimental effect on one’s heath since it can cause restlessness, paranoia and anxiety. Caffeine is generally considered to be mostly safe and a person can build up a natural tolerance against the substance as time passes, yet if the intake goes far beyond the permissible limits, it can result in total dependence with occurrences of anxiety, heart palpitations and nervousness in some people. Excepting medical usage of cocaine, it is an illegal substance and any use for purposes of recreation is banned by law. Caffeine is a legal substance with its existence in tea, coffee, certain soda products and chocolates. It is widely used for recreational purposes.
However, moderation is the key for consumption only in the case of caffeine which is legal and can be consumed freely. Cocaine consumption is completely illegal and should not be even attempted to be taken. When a person becomes dependent on either one of these substances, the resultant effects can be quite unpleasant. It would be best to consume caffeine in moderation.