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Difference Between Cocaine and Heroin

cocaine-psychological-pdCocaine vs. Heroin

There has been much argument over substances that induce addiction. Marijuana, crack, cocaine and heroin have all been under scrutiny these days. Nevertheless, cocaine and heroin may be regarded as two of the most addictive substances around.

Cocaine has been known to be a more addictive substance compared to other drugs, for instance, heroin. It can kill the user through cardiotoxicity, a certain lethality of the heart. By producing progressive arrhythmias, cocaine can induce a person to immediate death. Heroin’s health effect is more profound on the respiratory system. It causes respiratory depression, and you end up feeling suffocated. The good thing about heroin is the presence of an antidote for its toxicity ‘“ naloxone. In the case of cocaine, there’s still no potent antidote available, unfortunately.

Cocaine looks more crystalline. It even glimmers a little when exposed to light. With regard to heroin, this substance is somewhat chunkier. Although both heroin and cocaine can be in powder form, heroin differs because it does not show the crystal-like appearance. Its texture is similar to that of regular powdered milk. Moreover, heroin’s color is usually white, but some forms can appear brownish.

In terms of taste, the two substances also differ. Cocaine is usually packed with a peculiar flavor, which can numb your tongue, whereas heroin is a little bitter, and doesn’t induce a numbing effect.

The origin of heroin is derived from poppy plants, spread throughout many Asian and European regions. They are classified as opiates, or depressants (a sedative). Because of such, it is also therapeutically used for the management of severe pain among hospital patients. Contrary to cocaine, this substance is often regarded as a ‘downer’. After having a shot of heroin, you’ll feel more relaxed, and move a little slower than normal.

Like the soda Coke, the coca plant is also from where cocaine is harnessed. These plants are usually grown in South America. It is a stimulating substance that gives a similar effect to that of coffee. After ingestion, one will usually feel elated, euphoric, and overly happy. Hence, it is termed as an ‘upper.’

In summary, cocaine and heroin differ in the following aspects:

1. Cocaine’s fatality is more by cardiotoxicity, whereas heroin can induce respiratory depression.

2. Cocaine does not have an antidote, compared to heroin that does.

3. Cocaine is a more crystalline powder compared to heroin powder.

4. Heroin tastes bitter, and does not numb the tongue, contrary to cocaine.

5. Cocaine is from the coca plant, whereas heroin is from poppy flower plants.

6. Cocaine is a stimulant, whereas heroin is a depressant.

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25 Comments

  1. heroine |ˈherō-in|
    noun
    a woman admired or idealized for her courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities : she was the heroine of a materialist generation.
    • the chief female character in a book, play, or movie, who is typically identified with good qualities, and with whom the reader is expected to sympathize.
    • (in mythology and folklore) a woman of superhuman qualities and often semidivine origin, in particular one whose dealings with the gods were the subject of ancient Greek myths and legends.
    ORIGIN mid 17th cent. (in the sense [demigoddess, venerated woman] ): from French héroïne or Latin heroina, from Greek hērōinē, feminine of hērōs ‘hero.’

    heroin |ˈherō-in|
    noun
    a highly addictive analgesic drug derived from morphine, often used illicitly as a narcotic producing euphoria. • Alternative name: diacetylmorphine; chem. formula: C 17 H 17 NO(C 2 H 3 0 2) 2.
    ORIGIN late 19th cent.: from German Heroin, from Latin heros ‘hero’ (because of its effects on the user’s self-esteem).

  2. chemica formula of heroin. its easy to analyse mixed heroin in hash
    thanks

  3. Good site! All what is said here is true. What I would like to highlight as a doc ( 20 yr experience Dr.Vorobiev Drug Clinic. Belgrade) is that both substances are ruthless killers. When – is a matter of time. It can be done suddenly ( heart, respiratory arrest, stroke) or it can be a slow death ( liver, heart failure, immune deficit). Drug addiction is a lethal disease if left without treatment. WE save people lives. We give the new lives free of drugs. Visit our sites: http://www.heroindetoxeurope.com/
    http://www.naltrexoneimplant.com/

  4. im not a baker. im a baker

  5. I find it amazing that different people can have such varying preferences. For example;
    I’m a heroin addict. I both unreasoningly love it and simultaneously, vociferously hate it. Nevertheless, it’s the only drug I can bring myself to spend money on (almost the only thing I spend money on. Almost.) Before using heroin for the first time, I’d tried drugs like amphetamines, hallucinogens, barbituates and diazepams, pot, various other stimulants, pharmeceuticals and whatnot…

    However, after the first time I used heroin, I knew I’d never spend money on any other drug. I knew I was in love. There was no comedown, like coke/ speed/ crystal meth, etc… In fact, there was no part of being on heroin that I didn’t like. Speed on the other hand… The ONLY part of speed that I ever liked was the first 20 seconds after injecting it.

    But anyway, I digress… As I say, despite my obvious and clear preference for heroin, there are people out there who feel quite the opposite of this and prefer their stimulants to the powerful, loving embrace of heroin. I guess I’ll never understand…

  6. sadly I had a beautiful girl live with me for three years who loved me and I loved her. She started smoking Pot about a year ago with knucledraggers who eventually got her hooked on cocaine and heroin. They controlled her with this drug to the point where she alienated her family and me. To get drugs for herself and friends she sells her body for sex or booze, pot and street drugs. It is difficult to describe the sorrow and pain that pot, cocaine and heroin will always bring to the addict and the entire family!

    • The movie “Requiem for a Dream” (2000) is the most graphic film on drug use. If you are normal, it will send chills down your spine.

    • Knuckledraggers!? I assume that’s what you ment to spell……I don’t care about anything you think, but felt your ignorance needed some address! Really we’re still judging people on skin color!? Gross!

  7. Are we humans so dumb that we willingly enslave ourselves to these substances that wreak havoc on our body and mind?

    • Jay,

      Sadly, yes we humans are that dumb, and we do reap havoc on ourselves. I think we do it, because as the human species, we are getting weaker and more and more depressed. Why? Technology makes us weaker and less intelligent. Family values/rules/beliefs, no longer exist or get passed on from generation to generation. People are learning and believing that laziness is ok, work ethics don’t matter, morals don’t exist, God isn’t around us everyday, the less we do today – the less we’ll have to do tomorrow, retirement and health benefits aren’t important, loyalty has no rewards, and what food we put in our body – doesn’t really matter … nothing is really “that” bad for us. Depression is 10 x more common, than you’ll ever phathom … most people just don’t talk about it, so it only gets worse and worse. It sad, what we’re evolving into as “human”

    • Addiction is a state of mind. We all think differently. If it’s not drugs then it’s skydiving out of a perfectly good airplane. I wouldn’t blame it on stupidity or even ignorance. It boils down to appreciating ones self and knowing your limits. Taking calculated risks. People make excuses for stupid behavior by crying about their “disease”. No matter if it’s drugs or a thrill seeking idiot, nature will always win and the weak will be culled. Usually on their own merits. If you have family or friends who are addicts with no hope do yourself a favor and cut all ties, forget them and save yourself some heartbreak.

  8. I fell in love with cocaine at 13 years old. I was rejected from a beautiful girl, and found that cocaine replaced the negative feelings I was feeling. Since then, I became a lifelong drug addict. Only love can beat drug addiction, but I continuously chased drugs my whole life. I have tonnes of money, take care of my family, many friends, and just find that drugs enhance my life. I’m on cocaine and alcohol right now, and feel like a zillion dollars. Recently, I had found I won over a lover, and I love her soo much. I’m soo happy I want to cry. I love her soo much. And now I’m just starting to live the happy ending right now.
    Thanks, my name is Tom and drugs were a gigantic thrill my whole life.

    • You are sick if you think drugs hitting your central nervous system is enhancing your life.
      But, what you describe is the definition of addiction, and for that, you will need help like any other chronic, debilitating medical condition. Just like love doesn’t treat cancer, you will will medical help (and love so you will have the emotional will to do this difficult physical task).

  9. Hi billy,

    You say you love all the drugs cocaine heroine ectasy, but what when your told you have heart condition and in tablets at 22 for rest of your life after using it?. My daughter was injected by force by a gang serving 2.5 x life sentences for that and what they did to her She’s now got a heart condition at 22 which she has take daily heart tablets. The scum of society caused that and the misery impacts on me her mother. Her family are dead already due to genetic cancer and her father a heart attack. So haven’t we already suffered enough without scum now wrecking my only living relatives life by forcing drugs on her and destroying her heart and breaking mine. Some brag on here what they love about drugs and how much money they make and how they started on drugs through a loss of some kind or a trial to see it’s effects or to keep in with friends. What kind of friend gets you on drugs. How does a drug that costs and Rob’s you of your life and your families compensate the loss of a girlfriend or maybe even a bereavement or loss of something else. One idiot brags he lost his girlfriend family etc then brags he has another girlfriend and family back with his millions and still loves drugs that cost him his life as he says till recently yet he thinks they are great and worth it. How can anyone love something that kills so many and destroys their family friends jobs homes and every aspect of theirs and their families lives like a cdeadly disease that shuts down your organs and ultimately kills you but even worse drugs like crack heroine is a contagious deadly disease killing theirs and their families lives in the mist crippling slow painful way. I been addicted to oxycodone, oramorph, temgesic sub lingal, diazepam, clonazepam, nitrazepam, temazepam, tramadol, fentanyl and other opiates prescribed for serious pain all over my body from severely disabling injuries conditions and diseases. I’m still on fentanyl (morphine) and diazepam, I can still take oxycodeine and oramorph with pre gabolin if I want to but I don’t. I axed 17 x 10 mg oxycodeine slow release 12 hr is been on 7 yrs with clonazepam temazepam and 500ml bottle of oramorph a wk to taking just clonazepam lower dose plus a fentanyl patch and still went through 4 wks of cold turkey with fentanyl in its place. This yr I axed clonazepam x 5 tablets ID been on 9 yrs plus temazepam and despite prescribed oramorph again following a further 2 diagnosis causing more pain plus a spinal cord pressure I still refused take and furthermore axed all meds inc the clonazepam temazepam to just fentanyl and cut diazepam by a quarter to 4 mg instead of 12-14mg. I then couldn’t and still can’t sleep and am in continuous pain and still bedridden as I was on the drugs and without the drugs. I didn’t tell my Dr I had cut 7 tablets without her knowing or any weening off. I knew I would go into cold turkey but I knew I wouldn’t die from what I stopped and I knew I would be alert and my speech which has over almost 30 yrs on opiates of end of life strength been affected permanently to slurred but since stopping I’m now alert, can think and can carry out basic calls and tasks without forgetting why I went to a room in house and couldn’t remember why , picked up the phone but forgot who I was calling, put in a chanel in TV but never was awake to watch it. Now I am in pain but it’s not as bad as an hour after taking no end of oramorph oxycodeine oxycodone tramadol or other drugs which actually cause physical pain when your on such high doses and you’ve upped the dose because the tolerance to the drugs becomes rapidly needing increased amounts to get the same pain relief from the small dose if 5mg instant release twice a day to 4 x a day until 170 mg a day plus 100ml of oramorph can’t control pain and your not even getting to the unconscious stage of getting pain relief and all your waiting for is your own mortality as you know each day each time you take a pill or swig bottle of oramorph like fruit drink doesn’t work anymore. It’s not worth it. I’d rather be awake and spending each day 12 hrs on phone from bed helping others than an unconscious doped up druggy I was through no fault of my own as they were prescribed for my serious medical conditions and my calls and helping others exacberates my disabilities and health as I no immune system through cancer I had 22 & 26 and I’m anaemic am waiting emergency major surgery for cancer but cancelled last WK due to serious heart condition that most definitely was caused by the drugs I was prescribed as antibiotics 5 yrs caused me antibiotic allergent with 100+ diagnosed hives allergies which is serious. So when you inject smoke pop or whatever it is you lot who think drugs are great and the answer to not dealing with whatever it is in your life your trying to run from or escape from even using recreationally to relax chill remember your buying now paying later and your kids you not got yet or do have are paying to with your mum, dad, wife gifriend boyfriend sister brother dad daughter son and extended family and friends who then will have to look after you when your bedridden or on a machine or paraplegic or brain dead or incapable of feeding yourself and toileting showering yourself and you’ve no dignity left and there’s no care in the system for you due to lack of money or your left like me to rot in your bed with your brain intact but your body failed with cancer growing but your heart holding up surgery and there’s no money for you to be looked after and no money for your property to be fully adapted to help yourself and all you can do is exhaust yourself daily in an attempt to help others who choose to take drugs then burden families society with the financial emotional cost of your choices you made in ignorance to the facts of what your buying shoving in your body now your paying for later along with your family and tax payers and when you been indoors 6 yrs seen no one except a Dr on home visits every 2 wks then you may regret what you did to yourself but it’s too late by then. I didn’t choose, ask be disabled that was done to me by someone’s act of violence with their psychopathic behaviour. I didn’t ask want the drugs I was put on and not told of consequences and the pain relieving drugs were not managed by the specialist at hospital for 14 yrs he was my consultant. But he left me after 14 yrs admitting he failed me and has left me in worst state than when I went to him. Only difference is I’m no longer drugged up. So I urge you selfish drug users to think about what I wrote. Most will be in denial of what’s to come and disrespectful to what I’ve wrote and may rubbish it. But it will happen to everyone of you if you don’t stop what your shoving in your body and teaching your kids girlfriend boyfriends mates who you also get hooked on, their death on your conscience is that what it takes? Or is that excuse do it even more?. If I help one person who reads this then it’s one life I saved. If I saved one life I achieved something and my time was worthwhile. If you can save one life and there’s nothing greater than that then you give up drugs and you don’t get your friends family hooked or lives ruined. You get off drugs and you help get someone else off just by taking time to write something as I have. Right now most of you are enjoying the highs the euphoria and excitement of drugs but later your a disabled mentally retarded wreck a burden on society taxpayers and family and you’ll need care one way or other and they’ll be none like there isn’t already. So quit now why you got chance of making a recovery before the damage too great. Get a medical see if you’ve already damaged your organs. But most of all quit now whether your healthy, Ill, disabled, or already have some health issues or none and help someone else. Save someone’s life. Nothing more great than that.

    • Love your thoughts closet girl!!!!

    • I Bless you closet girl. You have been through a lot. It would be a very difficult thing to wean yourself off the pain relieving drugs and to have you face the pain daily. I admire you. Your situation sounds incredibly difficult (an understatement) being bedridden and lonely and having this horrific thing happen to your daughter. Bless you for wanting to help others even amidst your own pain and suffering. May you be filled with comfort and peace from God. I Bless you in Jesus’ name.

  10. Wow is just beyond measure why do you folks feel the need for this high why can’t you look in he mirror and see what God has blessed you with futher more how about if wasn’t for your parents you wouldn’t be here. I’m gonna pray for you all that he gives you the strength from with in to over turn your addiction and may life again to smile upon you God bless you all

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