The Illegality and Common Uses of Cocaine - Essay Example

Cocaine is highly illegal all over the world in terms of use, distribution, selling, and possession. Crack cocaine is a “Schedule II substance under the Controlled Substances Act... Schedule II drugs, which include PCP and methamphetamine, have a high potential for abuse [which may] lead to severe psychological or physical dependence. Excessive use of cocaine can cause a wide variety of problems for the user both temporary and immediate, and chronic” (National Drug Intelligence Center, 2003). It is the duty of society to protect citizens against dangers such as those brought about by highly dangerous chemicals and drugs. Hallucinations and paranoid delusions are extremely common symptoms of usage and prolonged use can be life-threatening for reasons such as lack of sufficient nutrition caused by appetite suppression. Making the drug illegal attempts to reduce the use of the drug by the general population and to encourage people to avoid it at all costs. Most countries go to great lengths to raise awareness of the potential dangers of using this type of drug but despite this and despite the illegality of it all over the world, it is very commonly used in personal recreation and by a wide range of social circles from the wealthy and famous, to the extremely poor.

Though the primary trend for using cocaine across the globe is certainly recreationally, there are several ways in which the drug is used legally in fields such as medicine. Due to the anesthetic side effects of cocaine, it is often used as a topical anesthetic in some surgeries such as nasal, throat, and oral cavity reconstruction (Simmer, 2010). A special, highly diluted compound of the drug is commercially available in the United States in various formats such as crystals, which are designed for topical application to areas of pain or inflammation. Such use requires very particular doses as even the smallest amount can cause adverse effects. It is also used in analgesia as a superior spray which helps in the treatment of this condition.

More recent trends in cocaine use within the medical field include suturing minor cuts and lesions upon a patient's entrance to hospital emergency rooms. More controversially, however, many studies have supported the use of cocaine in actually helping addicts to withdraw or recover from heroin addiction, another highly dangerous and addictive drug. Withdrawing from heroin is an extremely arduous process and cocaine has been shown to aid the process by acting as a comforter in terms of the physical pain felt. This trend has only just begun and is quite controversial in nature as many believe that the process is simply replacing one highly addictive drug for another which is a questionable activity supported widely by professionals in the field.

            Cocaine is illegal globally due to its highly addictive and life-threatening properties but despite this, it remains a widely used drug in personal recreation all over the world. Common uses of the drug other than personal recreation, center on medical areas such as anesthesia and more recently, heroin withdrawal though this remains controversial.