Final answer:
Cocaine is classified as a stimulant because it increases brain activity and alertness by enhancing dopamine neurotransmission, categorizing it as an agonist.
Step-by-step explanation:
Classification of Cocaine
Cocaine falls into the category of stimulants. Stimulants are a class of drugs that stimulate the brain, increasing alertness and wakefulness. Specific effects of cocaine on synaptic transmission include impairing the reuptake of dopamine and causing more dopamine to be released into the synaptic cleft, which would classify it as an agonist, as agonists are substances that enhance neurotransmitter activity. The increased presence of dopamine in the synaptic cleft contributes to the heightened state of arousal commonly associated with stimulants. Other psychoactive drugs within this class include caffeine, nicotine, and amphetamines such as Adderall. While depressants, anxiolytics, hallucinogens, and opioids have different effects on the central nervous system, cocaine distinctly promotes increased neural activity.