Author: Alex Thompson

Differences Between Crack and Cocaine & Myths

During that same time in Florida, the DEA reported that powder cocaine cost $20 to $110 per gram, and crack cost $5 to $20 per rock. The street price of crack and cocaine differ significantly, and costs vary by location. In 2002 in Texas, a gram of powdered cocaine cost $50 to $100 in Dallas, $80 to $100 in Houston and $50 to $60 in El Paso, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. In contrast, crack sold for $20 per rock, which is one-fifth to one-quarter of a gram.

Some street dealers cut their products with other substances, such as talcum powder, cornstarch, flour, or baking soda to increase their profits. According to the 2016 Drug Enforcement Administration report, a pure gram of cocaine was listed at $141 USD, while street prices for cocaine are around $93 per gram. With any drug, the probability of addiction is increased when the drug reaches the brain faster. The reward and pleasure centers are highly stimulated, and the brain creates positive reinforcement for the substance of abuse. The faster this stimulation happens, the quicker addictive cycles set in and the greater the likelihood of abuse. Your nasal passages are lined with soft, thin tissue that’s full of blood vessels.

Crack Rock vs. Cocaine Powder

Sold on the streets, the size of the rocks can vary but usually are around one-tenth to one-half of a gram. Rocks can sell for anywhere from $3 to $50 depending on the size. Making cocaine from coca leaves is a lengthy process requiring either a solvent, such as kerosene or acid, to extract the cocaine from the leaves. Once the cocaine is separated from the leaves it is then processed further to remove impurities and dried into a powder form known as cocaine hydrochloride, the basic street-form of cocaine. While the drugs are similar in their origination, there are some key differences between the two.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 1.9 million people aged 12 or older were cocaine users in 2016, including about 432,000 crack users. People aged 18 to 25 had the highest percentage of current cocaine users, and the group of people aged 26 or older had the highest percentage of crack users. In 2017, the National Drug Threat Assessment reported that at the time the estimated cocaine production was at the highest level ever reported.

1. While this all sounds like complex chemistry, converting cocaine into its freebase form is done all the time by drug dealers and users.
2. This process is frequently done with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), water, and a spoon.
3. The almost instantaneous high can last anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes.

When people take cocaine, their blood pressure goes up and their heart races. They may lose their inhibitions about doing things like spending lots of money on stuff they don’t really need. If you are addicted to cocaine, consider calling a cocaine hotline. These confidential and toll-free helplines can provide useful information about the effects of cocaine and the importance of sobriety. They can also connect you with a nearby rehab center that addresses your specific needs.

Everything You Need to Know About Freebasing

After detoxing from cocaine, ongoing substance abuse therapy is recommended to ensure long-term success in recovery. The high achieved by smoking cocaine also dissipates quickly, so individuals may want to quickly use another dose to maintain the original high. The high from smoking rock cocaine lasts about 10 to 15 minutes.

Cocaine in any form is a powerful stimulant that can have serious effects on your heart and the rest of your body. This can be particularly dangerous if you already have high blood pressure or a heart condition. After who knows how many freebasing accidents, crack cocaine entered the scene as an equally potent substance that’s safer to produce. ” The Journal of the American Medical Association, November 20, 1996.

What Are The Myths & Facts about Crack Cocaine?

Before users can smoke cocaine, it must be converted to its freebase form, which is commonly called crack. “Freebase” is a term in chemistry that refers to the chemical compound structure of an alkaloid like cocaine or nicotine. Turning cocaine into freebase form means it is converted from an acid form to an amine form. While this all sounds like complex chemistry, converting cocaine into its freebase form is done all the time by drug dealers and users. Converting cocaine to crack can be done by treating the drug with a basic chemical like baking soda. Crack turns powder cocaine into solid flakes or rocks that can be more easily burned and smoked.

Crack is cocaine that has been processed into a rock-like form with baking soda or ammonia. Because the two drugs are so similar, many people get confused about the differences between crack vs. cocaine. These differences lie mainly in the ways people prepare and use the two drugs.

Cocaine is an addictive stimulant drug that can change lives and be life-threatening. Using cocaine may change how people’s brains work and increase their risk for many serious medical issues. Finding the next high may seem like the most important thing in their lives. But the impact of cocaine use can last for months, years or a lifetime.

Healthcare providers may occasionally use cocaine as anesthesia. More commonly, people use cocaine to boost feelings like being energized, happy and alert. Cocaine is very addictive, meaning people seek out the drug and use it even though they know the choice comes with negative consequences. There are treatments for cocaine use disorder (cocaine addiction), but people often relapse and use it again.

Loss of CO2 prevents the reaction from reversing back to cocaine hydrochloride. Free base cocaine separates as an oily layer, floating on the top of the now leftover aqueous phase. It is at this point that the oil is picked up rapidly, usually with a pin or long thin object. This pulls the oil up and spins it, allowing air to set and dry the oil, and allows the maker to roll the oil into the rock-like shape. Cocaine is a powerful stimulant drug that’s extracted and processed from coca plant leaves in South America.

In 2010, former President Barack Obama signed the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010. This law was enacted to reduce the statutory penalties for crack offenses. It also ended the mandatory minimum sentence for simple possession of crack and increased statutory fines. Cocaine is derived from the coca plant, which is indigenous to South America. If you or someone you know struggles with cocaine or crack use, reach out to The Recovery Village.