What is the Difference Between Crack and Cocaine?
What is the Difference Between Crack and Cocaine?
Crack and cocaine may sound like two different drugs but they are actually very similar. As a matter of fact, they share a chemical makeup but are two different forms. Cocaine is a powdered substance while crack cocaine is a rock form. Both are powerful stimulants that have a high risk of addiction.
One difference between crack and cocaine is the way they are viewed in society. Cocaine tends to be more acceptable in social circles while crack is not. In 2017, a SAMHSA report stated that 40.6 million people said they have tried cocaine while only 9.6 million said they have tried crack.
What is Cocaine?
Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that is a powdered form from the Cocoa plant that originated in South America. Some common street names for this drug are coke, snow, powder, and blow. It is fast-acting with an intense high that can also disappear just as quickly as it arrives. It is frequently abused and highly addictive for this exact reason, as you need to ingest it often to maintain a high. It can be ingested multiple ways such as snorted through the nose, smoked, or injected.
Cocaine is a well-known party drug as small amounts can make you feel energetic, mentally alert, talkative, euphoric, and like you can do just about anything possible. It can also curb your appetite and because of its stimulant properties, it can cause difficulty sleeping.
Long-term use of cocaine can have serious effects such as erratic behavior, violent outbursts, anxiety, panic, paranoia, irritability, and restlessness. Prolonged use can severely affect the cardiovascular and neurological systems.
Because of its powdery form, it can be hard to determine what cocaine has been cut with. Oftentimes if it is cut with heroin or fentanyl, the consequences could be life-threatening.
If you or someone you know is abusing cocaine, detoxification and recovery are possible with professional help from a cocaine treatment center.
What is Crack?
Crack, or crack cocaine, is a crystallized “rock” version of cocaine. When powdered cocaine is combined with other fillers and processed into a solid form using baking soda and water, you have crack. It is then broken into pieces and is ingested by smoking. You will often hear of people using crack pipes. Crack is often a purer version of cocaine, making it that much stronger. The effects of crack are immediate and last for mere minutes, anywhere from five to ten and are similar to that of cocaine. Since the high is so short, it is often smoked continuously and binged.
Although more potent, crack is significantly cheaper than cocaine is. However, the amount that is needed to maintain a high can make a user spend just as much as they would for cocaine. The price difference has caused a difference in the user demographic. While cocaine is known as the rich man’s drug, crack became prevalent in lower-income areas in the past.
Detoxification from crack cocaine use should be medically supervised through a crack cocaine treatment center to ensure safety.
Crack and Cocaine Addiction Centers Near Me
If you or someone you love is abusing cocaine or crack cocaine, recovery is possible. At Victory Bay Recovery Center, our staff of professionals can help ensure that detoxification and recovery are done safely, and you are provided with the proper tools to maintain sobriety. Contact us today at 855.259.1624 to learn more about our cocaine and crack cocaine treatment programs.