Cocaine has tremendous addictive potential, in part since its "high" or euphoria typically lasts no more than an hour before the user craves to use it again, leading to periods of bingeing during which the user might stay awake for a few days or more. This is often followed by a "come down", a period of acute dysphoria and depression. This is what often leads to the cocaine addiction.
Cocaine is derived from the coca leaf and has been chewed in it's original form by indigenous people for thousands of years. Even before cocaine in it's sulfate form was isolated, the leaf's effects were well known and documented. The indigenous people who chewed the coca leaf exhibited extra energy and awareness, yet modern documentation indicates that prolonged coca leaf chewing can have similar effects as cocaine in it's purest form.
