Powder Cocaine and Crack - What Is The Difference?

Drug addiction to crack or cocaine is not pleasant, nor is drug addiction to any drug. The physical and mental deterioration of a drug addict is notable, and in their quest to get more drugs, they lose their self-esteem, their family, their jobs, and often end up in jail.

What is the difference in cocaine addiction and crack addiction? Aren’t they pretty much the same?

“Crack is a type of cocaine that has been changed so it can be smoked, rather than snorted,” comments Mary Rieser, Executive Director for Narconon Drug Rehab of Georgia. “Regular cocaine is mixed with baking soda and water and then heated with flame or fire to make it into a smokable form.  Many people look on the web for ways to cook crack cocaine and parents should check computers to make sure their children are not going to these sights.”

The problem is that these different forms of the same drug are ingested differently and have different effects on the body, making crack addiction vastly different than cocaine addiction.

“When a person smokes crack cocaine the chemicals reach the brain in 10 to 15 seconds.   The high is very intense for a brief period,” continues Ms. Rieser. “ The crash from crack cocaine makes a person want to immediately get high again.   Heavy crack users often don’t eat or sleep and they become physically and mentally addicted.  People on crack cocaine can get violent, especially when they cannot find any more of the drug.

“When a person snorts cocaine, it takes 10 to 15 minutes to feel the effects.  The high lasts a little bit longer.  Some people falsely claim that it gives them self confidence, but the truth is that a person will feel depressed when they come down from cocaine – much more depressed than they would otherwise.

“Despite the differences, all forms of cocaine are bad.”

If you know someone needs drug treatment and is going down a wrong path, get them into effective drug treatment.

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