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Understanding the difference between crack and cocaine is crucial, as recognizing their distinct forms, effects, and risks can help in effectively addressing substance abuse and promoting informed decisions.
Substance abuse and addiction are major social issues in our country. The number of overdoses, including fatal ones, is alarming.
Cocaine has been a big part of this issue for a long time. For instance, between 2015 and 2019, the number of overdose deaths linked to cocaine jumped from 6,784 to 15,883. Then, from 2019 to 2022, it skyrocketed by 73.5%, reaching 27,569 deaths.
When cocaine is mixed with other drugs, like prescription medications, the situation gets even worse. The use of cocaine and Fentanyl together has increased over the years. Fentanyl plays a key role in the deaths linked to cocaine and opioids in America. Cocaine can be found in different forms, one of which is known as crack cocaine.
Cocaine is made from the leaves of the coca plant (a plant that mainly grows in South America). The leaves of this plant are dried and processed to create cocaine.
There are different types of cocaine, such as the typical white powder and crack cocaine, which appear as solid crystals. Users can either snort cocaine or dissolve it in water for injection.
Crack is produced by cooking the powder with baking soda, resulting in small, rock-like pieces. When smoked, crack makes a distinctive crackling sound, hence its name. It resembles dry cat food or tiny pellets.
How people use these substances tells us a lot about their potential risks. Crack is mainly smoked. It means that chemicals (cocaine hydrochloride) in this potent central nervous system stimulant hit the bloodstream super fast.
You usually feel a rush of euphoria in seconds, but that high doesn’t stick around for long—only about 5 to 15 minutes. This quick fade is why many people want to use cocaine repeatedly. This can lead to a higher risk of overdose and a dangerous cycle of addiction.
In contrast, cocaine takes longer to start working when snorted. It usually takes about 15 to 30 minutes. The high can last for up to an hour.
Some people choose to inject it for a more robust impact, but this comes with additional risks, such as infections and vein damage. Regardless of how you look at it, both ordinary cocaine and the crack form of the drug can be extremely harmful to your health.
For many years, some doctors and dentists have used cocaine to numb the inside of the nose. They do this during surgeries and for a few other special reasons. The DEA, which is the agency that controls drugs in the U.S., puts cocaine in a category called Schedule II. It means that its medical use is very limited and watched carefully.
Cocaine abuse can be very dangerous. If you or someone you know is struggling with it, getting professional help is important.
Rolling Hills Recovery Center has committed patient navigators standing by day or night to help you create a customized treatment plan.
When you use cocaine in any form, you will feel many short-term and long-term effects. These effects can be physical or psychological. Their strength will depend on your body, the amount you take, and how pure the drug is.
Both regular cocaine and crack provide euphoric and stimulating effects. You may feel highly energized after taking it, although the effects of regular cocaine are less potent and quick than the effects of crack.
Both substances impact different chemicals in your body, but dopamine is the most sensitive. Cocaine slows dopamine uptake, causing dopamine to accumulate in the brain.
Many people are drawn to the euphoria and energy these substances provide. However, the reality is much more complicated.
Both cocaine and crack cocaine can raise your heart rate and blood pressure, as well as enlarge your pupils. While some users may experience increased alertness and energy, the risks are not worth it.
These medicines can result in severe headaches, nausea, and even heart attacks. Seizures and strokes have grown in recent years, partly due to the growing use of crack cocaine.
It is important to know that cocaine is bad for your health in any form. However, crack cocaine is very addictive and can quickly lead to dependence. Crack cocaine abuse can lead to a wide range of physical effects, including:
Crack and regular cocaine use can have several psychological repercussions in addition to physical ones. The high can be pretty thrilling, but feelings of anxiety, paranoia, and anger generally accompany it. When the high wears off, you may have a severe crash, leaving you dissatisfied, moodless, and exhausted.
This pattern may push you to use the substance again. It shows how quickly enjoyment can become a strong need. This increases the risk of overdose, including deadly overdose, and addiction.
In general, expect the following bodily effects after using any kind of cocaine:
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If you have met people who have used crack and cocaine for a long time, you can see how these drugs harmed their health and quality of life. Their brains change dramatically over time, which can lead to significant health issues.
Both of these substances can influence substances that control the normal functioning of your brain, particularly dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical in the brain that makes us feel happy and satisfied. If you keep using these substances, your brain might depend on them for pleasure. This can lead to addiction.
It may impede cognitive functions, making it harder to make decisions, manage impulses, and deal with emotions. You might get stuck in a loop of needing these substances, making it difficult to break away.
The physical implications of cocaine usage over months and years are pretty worrying. In fact, any sort of cocaine can have significant long-term consequences for the body. Here are some bodily signs that demonstrate the scope of the damage:
Cocaine use can take a considerable toll on a person’s health, and the effects can be frightening. After using it for a while, your heart rate and blood pressure can spike, damaging your blood vessels. You might find sleeping hard, feeling nauseous, or suffering headaches.
There’s also a greater risk of catching infections. On top of that, severe issues like strokes, seizures, and heart problems can happen. It can cause kidney failure and breathing difficulties, and it can hurt your teeth and gums, too. You can also grapple with sexual health problems and stomach pain.
The risks are dire, and someone could even die suddenly (typically from a heart attack or stroke). Just one use of crack can cause immediate harm, and using it more often only makes the long-term effects worse.
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A few key factors distinguish crack and cocaine. There are many more distinctions; the list below is not exhaustive. Nevertheless, having this information could help you understand how they are such different drugs while sharing similar molecular characteristics. Understanding the differences between these two substances may help highlight the dangers associated with their use.
We’ve talked about how people often smoke crack cocaine or snort powder cocaine. The way these drugs are taken can really affect how they work in the body.
When crack is smoked, it produces a very intense high, but it does not last as long as sniffing cocaine. Smoking helps drugs to enter the circulation quicker. That rapid high may seem appealing, but it also comes with more risks.
The duration of the effects differs quite a bit between the two drugs. Crack offers a short-lived high, which can create a dangerous pattern of frequent use. Cocaine provides a longer-lasting high.
However, both drugs leave users wanting more as the effects fade. This craving can drive you to use it repeatedly, increasing the many risks involved.
Regular cocaine is far more expensive and commonly referred to as a “rich man’s drug.” This term stems from its popularity among wealthy Wall Street bankers and affluent individuals in the 1980s. It’s rather pricey, especially considering the high doesn’t stay long.
Crack, on the other hand, sprang to prominence in the 1980s as a cheaper alternative to cocaine. Because it was so inexpensive, it became popular primarily in low-income neighborhoods around the United States.
Cocaine is often measured in grams, and in the U.S., it usually costs between $60 and $200. This price can change depending on where you are and how good the drug is.
Different government agencies track cocaine use and its prices, and they have found some average costs. For instance, the Drug Enforcement Administration says the average price is about $160 per gram.
In 2017, the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime reported an average price of $96 per gram. When you factor in inflation and purity, that is about $160 today. The 2020 National Drug Threat Assessment found the average price to be $200 per gram.
Prices can change for many reasons. These include how close buyers are to the drug supply, how well law enforcement is working, and how much people want the drug.
Cocaine and crack addiction is not just a money problem; it also has enormous social costs. It results in over $11 billion in healthcare costs.
The total costs from illegal drug use in the U.S. reach $193 billion. But these numbers don’t show the whole picture. We also need to think about the damage to relationships and the heartbreaking loss of lives because of cocaine use.
Cocaine is often combined with other things like talcum powder, baking soda, or even other drugs. This mixing helps dealers make more money.
Because of this, the purity of cocaine sold on the street can change a lot, which means users don’t know what they’re taking. It can be dangerous because you may consume harmful additives. It also increases the risk of becoming addicted to other drugs mixed with cocaine.
On the other hand, crack cocaine is a stronger form of cocaine. This makes it much more intense than regular cocaine. It’s often made in smaller amounts, so it’s less likely to be mixed with other substances. But this higher strength means that you might become more addicted to crack than to different types of cocaine.
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One of the most dangerous aspects of crack is that it may cause you to desire it continually. It reduces the reuptake of dopamine, a brain chemical that influences how we feel pleasure and rewards. When you smoke crack, your brain begins to alter because the “high” is so wonderful. The harms associated with both crack and cocaine are profound and far-reaching.
A significant danger of using cocaine is the possibility of an overdose. The intense highs can push users to take more enormous amounts than their bodies can cope with, leading to serious health risks. Users often enjoy benefits like more energy, excitement, increased confidence, and less hunger. However, taking too much can lead to unpleasant symptoms, such as:
Cocaine and crack are highly addictive substances, but it can be hard to tell if someone is addicted. Wanting to use these drugs while ignoring the risks is a big clue.
The strong urge to use drugs is often the biggest challenge. However, there are also clear physical signs of addiction. If someone uses cocaine a lot, they can become dependent on it, which means they need it to feel good.
Cocaine raises dopamine levels in the brain. This can disrupt the brain’s reward system over time.
The brain circuits that handle stress become more sensitive. This can increase feelings of discomfort and negative emotions when cocaine or crack is not used. A key study by Gawin and Kleber in 1986 looked at the withdrawal symptoms of cocaine users.
They found three clear phases:
When you stop using cocaine, you’ll first go through what’s called the ‘crash’ phase. This phase hits pretty hard and can bring about some tough symptoms, like:
Then comes the ‘withdrawal’ phase, which can be even rougher. You might experience:
In the end, after staying clean for a while, you’ll get to the ‘extinction’ stage. You might still feel cravings and a bit anxious sometimes, but that’s totally normal. It’s important to keep moving ahead and find your way through it.
Crack is commonly thought to be more dangerous and connected to violence and crime. Depending on where you live, crack regulations and penalties are usually much harsher than those for powder cocaine.
Being caught with crack usually leads to harsher penalties. This is true even after the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 tried to align the two crimes. If you have 28 grams of crack, you will probably face the same minimum penalty as someone with 280 grams of powder cocaine.
The very first step to getting better is realizing that there’s a problem. It’s very important to remember that you don’t have to face this tough time alone.
There is always someone ready to help you on this hard journey. There is also hope for a life free from addiction. If you or someone you care about is struggling with crack or cocaine, consider getting professional help.
Rolling Hills Recovery Center is here to support you in breaking free from addiction. Located at 425 Main St., Chester, NJ 07930, our rehab programs are accredited to meet the highest care standards. Our skilled team is committed to helping the whole person in a safe and supportive community. We give you the best chance to overcome cocaine or crack addiction, all at an affordable price.
We provide a free and completely confidential insurance verification through our admissions coordinator. This helps you find out what your insurance may cover for addiction treatment. Rolling Hills Recovery Center works with many insurance providers.
Don’t let stimulant drugs dictate your life any longer. Instead, take the step to get clean at our drug and alcohol rehab. Rolling Hills Recovery Center is committed to helping clients rejuvenate their lives. Call us now at (973) 606-9170 to learn more about the best therapies available for crack and cocaine addiction.
Drug Scheduling: https://www.dea.gov/drug-information/drug-scheduling
Cocaine Prices: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/secured/wdr/Cocaine_Heroin_Prices.pdf
2018 National Drug Threat Assessment: https://www.dea.gov
Drug Trafficking & Cultivation: https://dataunodc.un.org/dp-drug-prices
Evolving Conceptualizations of Cocaine Dependence: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2590292/
Written By:
Mental Health Writer
Geoffrey Andaria is an experienced mental health content writer and editor. With a B.A. in English and Journalism, Geoffrey is highly educated in freelance articles and research. Having taken courses on social work, Geoffrey is adamant about providing valuable and educational information to individuals affected by mental health and the disease of addiction.
Medically Reviewed By:
Expert Contributor
Dr. Williams presently serves on the board of Directors for two non-profit service organizations. He holds a Master’s degree in Human Services from Lincoln University, Philadelphia, Pa, and a Ph.D. with a concentration in Clinical Psychology from Union Institute and University. In Cincinnati, Ohio. He is licensed to practice addictions counseling in both New Jersey and Connecticut and has a pending application as a practicing Psychologist in New Jersey.
Navigate insurance coverage for cocaine rehab, including what services are covered and if Medication-Assisted Treatment is included.
Understand the risks of smoking and snorting cocaine, including overdose, bodily harm, and high addiction potential.
Learn how long cocaine’s effects last, its detectability in various tests, and factors affecting duration. Learn about the signs of overdose.
Learn about the benefits of cocaine addiction hotlines, including confidentiality, support, and treatment options.