- Table of ContentsPrint
Is Crack Harmful?
Since it first appeared on the illicit drug scene during the 1980s, crack cocaine has solidified its reputation as one of the most addictive substances available on the street. According to the National Drug Intelligence Center, part of its popularity is due to the fact that almost anyone can make it, provided that he has the right tools. Additionally, it can be produced in smaller, easily transported quantities that are cheaper to buy than powdered cocaine. A common method of production involves mixing cocaine with ammonia, baking soda and water. As the water dissolves, dried crystals, known as crack cocaine, form.
Users typically insufflate (snort) or first dissolve in solution, then inject powdered cocaine. However,people who use crack typically smoke the substance. While uncommon, crack can also be dissolved in aqueous solution and injected, similarly to its powdered counterpart. Smoking the drug produces a faster, more intense high than snorting does because it reaches the bloodstream and brain more quickly. However, the effects of smoking cocaine are shorter in duration, lasting only 5 to 10 minutes verses 15 to 30 minutes for insufflated powder.
Some of the potential dangers associated with using crack include:
- Lung damage.
- Respiratory problems.
- Increased blood pressure.
- Tachycardia or racing heart beat.
- Onset of psychotic symptoms.
Crack Effects Quiz question 1
Short-Term Effects of Crack
While users claim to feel euphoric or high when using crack, there are some paradoxical drawbacks to using crack; the initial euphoria can quickly turn to feelings of depression and paranoia.
The short-term physical and mental effects of using crack are generally more intense than the effects from snorting powdered cocaine and are similar to what is experienced when injecting cocaine. These effects are also similar to other commonly abused stimulants such as methamphetamine.
Because crack is produced in unregulated settings from cocaine of inconsistent purity and quality, the precise effects vary greatly, but generally include:
- Euphoric “rush.”
- Increased alertness.
- Excited state.
- Decreased appetite.
- Dilated (enlarged) pupils.
- Increased heart rate.
- Intense craving for another dose shortly after the high subsides.
While users claim to feel euphoric or high when using crack, there are some paradoxical drawbacks to using crack for any length of time—the initial euphoria can quickly turn to feelings of depression and paranoia.
People experiencing crack-induced paranoia might find themselves thinking that someone is trying to get into their house, that someone is following them, or that others are trying to attack them. This can lead to aggressive behavior or unprovoked attacks on others and lead to dangerous situations for both the user and innocent bystanders.
Crack Effects Quiz question 2
Crack Effects Quiz question 3
Side Effects
The fleeting high from smoking crack can be outweighed by a host of negative effects. Though these can vary as widely as the positive effects listed above, commonly reported side effects include:
- Irritability.
- Anxiety.
- Headache.
- Depression.
- Aggressive, paranoid behavior.
- Abdominal pain.
- Sudden death due to heart attack or stroke.
Potential for Crack Cocaine Addiction
According to an article in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology Iphone serial number lookup. , crack use is associated with a higher rate of dependence than use of powdered cocaine.
Crack cocaine gives the user an intense, euphoric feeling. The first time a person uses crack, he or she feels an initial high that cannot be recreated by subsequent use. Users sometimes describe this as a feeling unlike anything else in the world.
Once the person experiences this initial high, he may spend years trying to chase this feeling as tolerance to the drug effects develop rapidly. In these attempts, he may take increasing amounts, putting himself of risk of overdose.
This pattern of compulsively chasing an elusive euphoric feeling is a fundamental component leading to a diagnosable mental condition known formally as 'crack use disorder'—but, more commonly as addiction. It can only take one use for a person to be well on their way to forming an addiction to crack.
Video: Crack Cocaine and Your Brain
The following video shows how your brain is affected by crack cocaine use and how using it can lead to dependence, addiction, and an array of negative effects.
To learn more, visit our blog, Crack Cocaine's Effect on Brain.
Crack Effects Quiz question 4
Long-Term Effects of Crack
In addition to negative short-term effects, long-term crack cocaine abuse can have even more pronounced drawbacks that affect users even when they are not getting high.
A short list of the most serious effects includes:
- Ever-increasing tolerance.
- Severe, unpleasant withdrawal syndrome.
- Mood disorders including depression.
- Delirium.
- Psychotic symptoms, including auditory and tactile hallucinations, and/or paranoid delusions.
- Addiction.
Some users experience a problem that abusers refer to as 'coke bugs' or 'crack bugs.' This is a type of tactile hallucination – also called formication – that makes the abuser feel like bugs are crawling on or below his skin. The user might have long scratch marks on the surface of his or her skin, caused by scratching in an effort to get rid of the bugs. Such hallucinations can make it impossible to sleep, and the resulting sleep deprivation contributes to the user’s disordered, delusional thinking.
Lasting Health Effects
Long-term crack cocaine use risks not only the mental effects listed previously but also serious risks to an individual’s health. Some lasting health effects of crack cocaine smoking include:
- Cardiovascular and respiratory problems.
- Seizures or convulsions.
- Sexual dysfunction.
- Reproductive damage and infertility.
- Malnutrition.
- 'Crack lip,” which refers to the painful blistering, bruising, and cracked lips caused by repeated exposure to the hot temperature of the crack pipe as it is pressed against the lips.
- Oral issues including infection, tooth decay, broken and yellow teeth.
- Systemic toxicity resulting from inhalation of harmful fumes from the ammonia or other volatile compounds used in the creation of the crack.
- Increased risk of developing an acute injury to the lungs known as “crack lung.” The crack cocaine smoke constricts blood vessels in the lungs, preventing proper circulation in these delicate organs. Over time, permanent damage and scarring can occur, which result in difficulty breathing and chest pain.
- Damage to the kidneys, heart, and liver.
- Neglect of daily life and responsibilities.
- Sleep deprivation.
Crack Effects Quiz question 5
Crack Dependency
Because crack use itself is known to cause depression and anxiety, using it to alleviate the onset of these feelings becomes a vicious cycle—one that can quickly result in addiction.
People of any age and gender can become dependent on crack. Crack dependency occurs after users develop a tolerance to the drug and begin using more often and in larger amounts to achieve the desired effects.
This frequent exposure to crack cocaine causes users to depend on this substance to help them avoid negative moods and feelings; those ensnared by a crack dependency will experience extreme anxiety when they are not able to obtain the drug. Because crack use itself is known to cause depression and anxiety, using it to alleviate the onset of these feelings becomes a vicious cycle—one that can quickly result in addiction.
The pleasurable or euphoric short-term effect of the drug can usher a user towards addiction after using it just once.
Crack Effects Quiz question 6
Crack Withdrawal and Addiction Treatment
Although withdrawal from crack specifically – and cocaine in general – does not cause as many physical symptoms as other recreational drugs, the psychological effects of stopping use can be quite intense, including:
- Depression.
- Irritability.
- Fatigue.
- Anxiety.
- Craving for more crack.
- Psychosis.
Inpatient treatment centers are a desirable choice for many crack abusers because these centers keep the user away from the drug and anyone using it. Inpatient programs can also provide the intensive counseling and therapy many people require to recover from crack cocaine addiction. Additional aftercare or sober living programs can help ex-abusers maintain their sobriety and rebuild their lives once they leave the safety of inpatient treatment.
Addiction is not a disease that should be faced alone. If you or someone you love needs help addressing a problem with crack cocaine, you can call 1-888-744-0069Who Answers? any time of the day for a safe and anonymous way to find treatment facilities in your state.
Sources:
- CESAR. (n.d.) Crack Cocaine.
- Drug Enforcement Administration. (n.d.). Drug Fact Sheet: Cocaine.
- Drug Enforcement Administration. (2015). Drugs of Abuse.
- Forrester JM, Steele AW, Waldron JA, Parsons PE. Crack lung: an acute pulmonary syndrome with a spectrum of clinical and histopathologic findings.Am Rev Respir Dis. 1990 Aug;142(2):462-7.
- Foundation for a Drug Free World. (n.d.). Short- & Long-Term Side Effects of Smoking Crack Cocaine - Drug-Free World.
- O'brien, M. (n.d.). Risk of Becoming Cocaine Dependent: Epidemiological Estimates for the United States, 2000–2001. Retrieved October 30, 2015. Retrieved October 8, 2015, from
Related Posts:
How to obtain crackpipe resin? WITH PROLOGUE (x-post: /r/Cocaine)
Met a dude on the bus about a week ago after he overheard my conversation on the phone. I think it's extremely obnoxious to talk about any kinds of drug transactions (even weed) in any space where people who might be bothered by it might hear you. I'm sure the passengers of my packed yet silent bus loved hearing me saying how many bags of heroin I wanted to buy, and naming all kinds of different prices since this guy wanted my business . I mean, obviously your texts are being monitored when you're a homeless panhandler . in which case talking on the phone is way less incriminating . Almost everyone I've met who does this is just a middleman (and those that act like a douche on the phone and try to bully me, acting like they're doing me a favor, I spitefully save as a drug contact . this guy's name went from 'DJ Bob' to 'DJ HeroinDealer').
-/-
ANYWAY, dude on the bus is super chill, and he ends up mentioning 'yeah I'm on my way to score too . I just can't seem to stay on the subs :( ). I'd been trying to find Subutex forever to detox and we quickly swapped numbers. I met up with him today to pick up two, and gave him 3, 4mg pressed bars. They were outrageously expensive (I only buy pressies when I'm desperate, anyway . I'd rather buy a football or a kpin from someone I know with a legit script than risk getting a research chemical or simply not knowing how strong the pill will be), so he was supposed to give me 2, 8mg Subutex and $10 for the bars. Idk if he was playing games, but he thought I meant that I'd be giving him the $10. To offset the cost, he gave me a dime of crack and a used crack pipe.
--
As you can imagine, the crack is long gone lol, but there's plenty of resin. I read that there is a chemical you can use to clean it out and once it evaporates, you can smoke what is left over. Does anyone know what I'm talking about?
22 Feb What Do You Smoke Out of a Glass Pipe?
“What kind of drugs get smoked out of glass pipe?” I hear this question asked by parents a lot – especially early on, when they are first beginning to suspect that their child’s using is more than just casual experimentation.
Often, when confronted with such paraphernalia, a child will respond with statements like “I just tried weed once,” or “I’m holding it for a friend, it’s not a big deal.” Unfortunately, the truth can oftentimes be a lot more grim – glass pipes, while used for smoking cannabis, are also commonly used to smoke crystalmethamphetamine, crack cocaine, pcp, opium and other drugs like DMT, a powerful psychedelic that puts the user into a psychotic out of body state.
How to Recognize Meth Use
Fugees the score album sales. If the glass pipe has a bulb on one end, it was most likely used to smoke meth out of.
How To Get Crack Resin
One of the first big warning signs that something other than recreational marijuana smoking is going on is the smell. Crystal meth, sometimes referred to as “ice” or “shards”, puts out a much thicker cloud of smoke than marijuana. While the smell doesn’t linger as powerfully as burnt cannabis, it has a distinct chemical odor that can smell stale. Regardless of whether or not there is a distinct smell left behind, if the glass pipe has a bulb on one end, it was most likely used to smoke meth out of. A meth pipe or any other glass pipe used to smoke it with will often have yellow or burnt streaks around the glass. Crack cocaine has a very distinct smell, like a mix between burning plastic and urine! Crack pipes are also distinct in their shape – they are long, straight glass tubes that are sold as “oil burners” (a common explanation for meth pipes as well). The other types of drugs that can be smoked out of glass pipes are often used in standard cannabis pipes and bongs.
Drug Smoking Paraphernalia
Another big sign of harder drugs than marijuana being used is the discovery of certain things in the trash or around the house. Finding bits of brillo pad or scouring mesh in the trash, with or without ash or burn marks, is a good indicator that someone is smoking crack. Baking soda turning up unexpectedly in someone’s room, as well as big spoons, ladles or pyrex dishes also point to crack use and home production. Mesh screens are also suspect.
Drug Use Excuses
Often, an addict will offer up the excuse that they were “just smoking hash”, out of many of these devices. When I was using, my parents unexpectedly showed up at my apartment one day and found spoons, foil, glass pipes and many of the other things talked about here lying around. I explained all of it away by saying I was “smoking hash oil”, (which in and of itself is extremely powerful and potentially dangerous), and convinced my family it was not a big deal. No parent is excited about the realization that their child is using hard drugs, so it is not uncommon for lies like this to go on for quite a while.
How To Take Resin Hits
Ultimately there are lots of dangerous drugs that can be smoked out of glass pipes. Be on the lookout for any strange smells, spoons, foil and other potential paraphernalia. All of these things can be indicative of a much larger problem than recreational marijuana use.
What I'm asking is, for example, at what point do you decide to scrape the resin/push the screen back and forth to collect the delicious caviar you're left with? Do you scrape it after every hit? Do you let it accumulate (and if you do, like me, how much do you smoke before you decide to smoke the res?), or do you start pushing that choy the second your last pebble's gone? I've met one person who never scraped the resin in his pipe, because he wasn't sure how to go at it, not knowing that all he had to do was push the screen back and forth and smoke it. Some people on the other hand prefer smoking a few sessions' worth of rocks until the pipe is completely covered in thick brown goo, then scrape it and get like 10 (probably even more sometimes) fat bellringers.
Also, what's your favorite way to get the resin? I've read in a bunch of threads in various forums that scraping the resin out of the pipe with some kind of sharp object (would an unrolled--that is, bent into a relatively straight line--paper clip work?), but I honestly don't understand how you could scoop all that resin out with something thin enough to fit into the pipe, since it'd be so small, you'd be scraping off match head size bits of resin (some kind of tiny spoon would seem ideal for this whole resin scraping deal, methinks..).
Oh, and how do you make the most out of your resin? I've read some reports of people getting 5+ really satisfying hits after trying for push hits after just one session (assuming it wasn't a 400 dollar session, evidently), but after smoking 20 bucks worth of rock I get either one really good hit if I don't push the screen whatsoever till it's all gone bye-bye, or 2 average hits. I mean I can get up to 5 or 6 hits after the initial monster caviar blast, but they're just the kind of hits that tease you, that give you a small taste of what could be a kick-ass toke, but those just piss me off more and leave me fiending even more.
So, how do you guys handle your leftover resin? I'm envious of those of you who can save it for a few days or even weeks or months and then have a pipe worth like 20 bucks cause of all the leftover product in there. Resin is honestly one of the only things I appreciate about crack, not many other drugs actually give you something to look forward to when they're all gone, but with rocks, it's a comforting feeling to know that those last few pebbles you have don't necessarily mean the fun is over.
But yeah, do you guys have any tips on how to manage resin better?
Is it better to push the screen just once per desired hit (because I remember I used to push the brillo a dozen times for each hit, not realizing I was probably wasting some), so you have some left over for a few more blasts, or is pushing it fifty times more effective?
Also, is resin supposed to be smoked as carefully as regular rocks (no continuous direct flame, etc), or can you just torch the shit out of it and pull hard?
Like is there a technique to smoking it properly?
Finally, what is more efficient, scraping the resin out of the pipe (and then, I assume packing that on top of the screen like if it were a rock), or pushing the screen from one end to the other?
I just want to get these supposed half-dozen 'monster hits' off the leftover resin, but I haven't managed more than two or three just barely satisfying enough, but I want some good bellringers off that resin. There's gotta be some secret technique to it, closely guarded in an underground tomb beneath a mountain. Or something. And I want to know about it.