What is Crack Cocaine?
Cocaine is an extremely addictive drug that is made from the leaves of the Erythroxylum coca and Erythroxylum novogranatense plants. These plants are native to South America. More information about Cocaine can be found in our article on Cocaine use and it’s Risks.
Cocaine available for recreational consumption is either in a powdered form or a solid rock shaped form.
What is Crack Cocaine?
The Cocaine that is available in a rock shaped form is called “Crack Cocaine”. Crack Cocaine is made by heating the mixture of Cocaine in its powdered form along with Baking Soda and water. The resultant product is broken into pieces and sold as Crack Cocaine. It is usually smoked and the name “Crack Cocaine” is due to the sound that it makes when it is heated. Crack Cocaine is extremely addictive and its use can trigger an addiction. Cocaine is expensive and its use is thus restricted to the rich and the affluent. Crack Cocaine was first made in the United States as a cheaper alternate to Cocaine.
Short-term effects of Crack Cocaine use
Crack Cocaine use can lead to a short but extremely intense high, a high greater than from Cocaine use. The effects of the Crack Cocaine start manifesting within 5 mins and last between 1 to 2 hours. Crack Cocaine use results in the release of dopamine in the brain. This can lead to the following effects in a user:
- Euphoria
- Increased levels of energy
- High Blood Pressure and Heart Rate
- Loss of Appetite
- Insomnia
- Increased Body Temperature
The dopamine levels in the brain drop after an hour of use and a user may experience negative effects such as paranoia, depression and anxiety.
Long-term effects of Crack Cocaine
Persistent, long-term use of Crack Cocaine can lead to several dilapidating effects in a user. Some of the them include the following:
Psychological Crack Cocaine users that smoke the drug are more prone to psychological conditions such as Psychosis, Anxiety and Paranoia. In some case particular to Crack Cocaine use, users hallucinate they have bugs crawling under their skin. This can lead to them scratching themselves to the extent of causing bleeding and serious non-reversible skin damage.
Risk of Adulterated Crack Cocaine Crack Cocaine is usually mixed with adulterants to increase its quantity. The adulterants that are usually added include sugar, glucose, caffeine, paracetamol, amphetamine or benzocaine.There is no discernible way to find out what or how much toxic chemicals were used in the making of the Crack Cocaine and hence toxicity from Crack Cocaine use is inevitable over a period of time.
Risk of Overdose Crack Cocaine is illegal in most places of the world and due to this the quality of the Crack Cocaine can vary largely. Moreover, there is no way to ascertain the purity or quality of Crack Cocaine. A user that is habitual to consuming high volume of low quality Crack Cocaine may overdose on the same quantity of high quality Crack Cocaine.
Cardiovascular Complications SmokingCrack Cocaine can lead to an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Long-term use of Crack Cocaine can thus lead to irregular heart rate and heart related illnesses.
Lung and Breathing Complications Since the most common mode of Crack Cocaine use is from smoking, it’s long term use can lead to respiratory issues such as difficulty breathing and extremely painful and bloody cough.
Pregnancy BothCocaine and Crack Cocaine can transfer to a baby via breast milk and can increase the risk for miscarriage or improper foetal growth. Unborn babies that have been exposed to Cocaine in the womb may develop heart defects, stroke or brain damage the could be non-reversible.
How can I get help for Crack Cocaine addiction?
A licensed rehab with experienced staff and a proven In-patient Treatment can be crucial to recovering from a Crack Cocaine Addiction. Phoenix Rehab is a Top Alcohol and Drug rehab in Hyderabad. Contact us today for more information about our Crack Cocaine Addiction Treatment Program.
