Crack
- What is crack?
- What's new/different about crack?
- What are crack's adverse effects?
- How is crack used?
What is crack?
The chemical cocaine hydrochloride is commonly known as cocaine. Some users chemically process cocaine in order to remove the hydrochloride. This process is called "freebasing" and makes the drug more potent. "Crack" cocaine is a solid form of freebased cocaine. It is called "crack" because it snaps and cracks when heated and smoked.
What's new about crack?
Since crack is an already prepared form of freebased cocaine, the user does not have to buy the equipment or be exposed to the explosive chemicals associated with freebasing. Crack is most often packaged in vials or plastic bags and sold in small quantities, usually 300-500mg or enough for two to three inhalations. Traditionally, cocaine was a rich man's drug, due to the large expense of a cocaine habit.
Now, crack is being sold at prices low enough that even adolescents can afford to buy it. But, this is misleading, since once a person is addicted to cocaine, his "habit" often increases, and so does his expense.
What are crack's adverse effects?
As with any street drug, what is sold may not be what it is claimed to be. Predicting side effects is difficult when the actual contents are not known. Life-threatening reactions have been reported whether it's the first, the 100th, or any other time crack is used. You do not have to overdose on crack to die from it.
In addition, if the initial experience leads to continued use, other adverse effects include the rapid development of tolerance, addiction to cocaine, and all the social problems that can come from an expensive drug habit.
Regardless of dosage, these reactions may appear from crack use:
- Convulsions
- Increased heart rate
- Abnormal heartbeat
- Heart attack
- Sudden, sharp blood pressure increase
- Stroke
- Extreme depression
- Suicidal behaviour
How is crack used?
The same way that freebase is used, namely, by placing the substance in a glass pipe (or hash pipe) with a fine mesh screen under it, then heating it and inhaling the vapours.
The vapours of the freebase are absorbed through the lungs into the bloodstream and transported to the brain within 10-15 seconds. One inhalation will produce a degree of intoxication usually lasting 10-15 minutes.
References
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SCRC's approach is aimed at facilitating change from the culture of addiction to the culture of recovery.
This process will yield limited success when approached outside of a residential treatment facility particularly when detoxification is required. It is imperative that individuals entering treatment are given as much training and education as possible.
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