Comparison
Cocaine vs MDMA.
Side-by-side comparison of Cocaine and MDMA — dosage, effects, duration, legal status, and key harm reduction considerations.
- CategoryCocainestimulantMDMAempathogen
- Chemical classCocainetropaneMDMAsubstituted-amphetamine
- Common doseCocaine30–60 mgMDMA75–125 mg
- Peak durationCocaine15–30 minMDMA90–150 min
- Primary positivesCocaineConfidence and self-assurance, Euphoria and stimulation, Talkativeness and sociabilityMDMAEuphoria, Emotional warmth and openness, Increased empathy
- Primary negativesCocaineCompulsive redosing ("the line is shorter than you remember"), Cardiovascular strain (heart attacks and strokes occur even in young users), Severe nasal damage with regular insufflationMDMAJaw clenching (bruxism), Dehydration or, conversely, hyponatremia from overhydration, Hyperthermia in warm environments
- Legal (DE)CocaineillegalMDMAillegal
- Legal (NL)CocaineillegalMDMAillegal-tolerated
- Legal (US)Cocaineschedule-2MDMAschedule-1
- Legal (UK)Cocaineclass-aMDMAclass-a
| Cocaine | MDMA | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | stimulant | empathogen |
| Chemical class | tropane | substituted-amphetamine |
| Common dose | 30–60 mg | 75–125 mg |
| Peak duration | 15–30 min | 90–150 min |
| Primary positives | Confidence and self-assurance, Euphoria and stimulation, Talkativeness and sociability | Euphoria, Emotional warmth and openness, Increased empathy |
| Primary negatives | Compulsive redosing ("the line is shorter than you remember"), Cardiovascular strain (heart attacks and strokes occur even in young users), Severe nasal damage with regular insufflation | Jaw clenching (bruxism), Dehydration or, conversely, hyponatremia from overhydration, Hyperthermia in warm environments |
| Legal (DE) | illegal | illegal |
| Legal (NL) | illegal | illegal-tolerated |
| Legal (US) | schedule-2 | schedule-1 |
| Legal (UK) | class-a | class-a |
Key harm-reduction difference
Cocaine and MDMA differ most in their risk profiles and durations. Always research each independently before any session. If you are choosing between them based on safety alone, consult the full profiles and the interaction checker for any combinations you may be planning.
Related pages
FAQ.
- Is Cocaine stronger than MDMA?
- "Stronger" depends on the metric. Compare dose ranges, subjective intensity, and duration side by side above. Always factor in individual tolerance.
- Can I combine Cocaine and MDMA?
- Check the interaction checker for this specific pair. Many combinations carry serious risk even at low doses.
- Which lasts longer, Cocaine or MDMA?
- Duration varies by route. See the comparison table above for peak and total duration by the most common route.
- Cocaine vs MDMA: which is safer?
- Neither substance is "safe" in absolute terms. Harm is a function of dose, setting, purity, and individual factors. The comparison above covers the key risk differences.
- Are Cocaine and MDMA in the same drug class?
- See the category and chemical class rows above. Substances in different classes often have very different risk profiles even if subjective effects overlap.
- Is Cocaine legal where MDMA is?
- Legal status is substance- and jurisdiction-specific. See the legal status section for key countries.
- Where can I get harm reduction info for Cocaine and MDMA?
- Each substance has a full profile on this site with dosage, interactions, testing, and legal information. Follow the links at the bottom of this page.
- How do I test whether my substance is Cocaine or MDMA?
- Reagent testing can distinguish most substances. Check the reagent guide tool for expected color reactions for both.