Effects of the coca plant

The most effective way to consume the coca plant is by chewing coca leaves. Ideally, coca leaves should be in a semi-dry state, because if coca leaves are consumed too dry, they will lose not only their flexibility (which is very important for the chewing process), but also their properties. The only reason coca leaves are dried is that they can be stored in this state for a long period. However, the process of chewing coca should not be done with dry leaves. Freshly harvested coca leaves are highly concentrated alkaloids. The effects of chewing coca leaves are fundamentally different from those of pure cocaine alkaloid. The impact of coca during chewing is moderate and gradual, while the effect of a pure alkaloid will be fast and intensely gaining momentum. Thanks to the other nutrients and vitamins contained in coca leaves, the coca plant helps to balance the effects of chewing coca leaves, and reduce coca psychoactivity and other harmful aspects. In fact, the word “chew” is incorrect, since the leaves are not chewed or chewed, but are first soaked in the mouth and then absorbed. The coca alkaloids are then absorbed into the bloodstream through the oral mucosa. The effects of coca leaves are strong from the start but gradually decrease. Therefore, in order to maintain the effect, the consumption of coca leaves tends to be increased. Coca leaves can stay in your mouth for 45 minutes to an hour. The presence of an analgesic effect indicates the activity and influence of coca leaves. As soon as the numbness in the oral cavity has disappeared, this means that the influence of coca has ceased. Coca is a psychomotor stimulant. The effects of the alkaloids contained in the coca plant can be defined as physical and mental effects. From a physical point of view, the use of coca contributes to a gradual surge of energy, increased stamina and working capacity. However, unlike the pure alkaloid cocaine, coca is not a super-stimulant. Therefore, in the case of the use of the coca plant, psychomotor activity does increase, but the person does not experience hyperactivity or feelings of physical anxiety.

With the use of large doses of coca leaves, such an effect as hand trembling is possible, but no more. The use of coca helps to eliminate fatigue and reduce some local pain (muscle pain or back pain). An interesting effect of coca consumption is the suppression of hunger. Although this is temporary, and coca has no real effect on appetite. The use of the coca plant only serves to reduce the feeling of hunger, and in the case when the effects of the use of coca disappear, the appetite resumes. There are other effects from the use of the coca plant: a slight increase in blood pressure, increased heart rate, and numbness in the mouth. Coca, like most other stimulants, reduces the feeling of intoxication, so you should be very careful in combining the use of coca and alcohol. Considering the effect of coca as a mental one, it should be said that the most pronounced effect of the use of coca is a sharp rise in mood. In this sense, coca is very similar to an antidepressant, in that it promotes good mood but not the euphoria or other effects that come with cocaine use. The use of coca stimulates the brain, contributes to the emergence of motivation and activation of any activity. This effect is not like the hyperactivity that occurs with cocaine use. In case of feelings of drowsiness or fatigue, the use of coca reduces the desire to sleep and awakens additional forces. In the case of chewing coca leaves for a long period (virtually all taxi drivers in Latin America chew coca leaves for days), the period of wakefulness is significantly increased, while mental clarity is maintained. Interesting mental effects of coca are: a feeling of expansion of consciousness, the need for intellectual activity. If we talk about emotional sensations while using coca, then the person begins to feel more motivated and happy, while becoming optimistic and talkative. The effects of cocaine use produce an immediate peak of euphoria and hyperactivity. In comparison, the use of coca gradually makes one feel more motivated, the desire to engage in productive activities increases, physical endurance increases and the feeling of hunger decreases. The effects of coca use can be maintained for a long period of time, without reaching the forms of physical or mental saturation, as occurs with the use of cocaine. It is very easy to focus on a single task when chewing coca leaves, while when using cocaine one feels distracted, as it is very difficult to maintain the same level of concentration.