Stimulants: Cocaine - Comprehensive Study Notes

Stimulants: Cocaine

Course Structure and Approach

  • General Outline for Drugs: For each drug, the course will cover:

    • History

    • Distribution (origin)

    • Administration methods

    • Mechanism of Action (MOA)

    • Effects

    • Withdrawal symptoms

    • Treatments

  • Flexibility: Not all drugs will have exhaustive detail in every category, but this provides a general roadmap.

  • Interconnections: Information (e.g., MOA, routes of administration) will build upon previous pharmacology lectures and foundational concepts (e.g., drug laws).

  • Exam Philosophy: Exams are non-cumulative; prior notes don't need continuous re-studying unless a concept directly reiterates and builds.

Stimulants: General Overview

  • Class Survey on Drug Use: In a class survey, 00 students reported stimulant use. Data often shows minimal stimulant use, typically a few people having used cocaine or amphetamine in their late teen years.

  • Definition: Any substance capable of keeping a person going both mentally and physically.

  • Categories of Stimulants:

    • Illicit Stimulants: Cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine.

    • Legal Stimulants: Caffeine, nicotine, prescription medications (e.g., ADHD medications like Adderall, Ritalin).

  • Unit Focus: This unit will cover cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, nicotine (briefly), and some prescription stimulants. Caffeine has been removed from this unit due to time constraints.

  • Exception: The only non-stimulant drug included in this