The world of drugs shows us every day that, under certain circumstances, human behaviour can become as irrational as it is self-destructive. The fact of falling again and again into the consumption of an addictive substance that gradually takes over one’s life is an example of the extent to which a single habit is capable of robbing us of our freedom, without the need to be locked up.

However, not all drugs are equally addictive and destructive to the body itself. Normally, those consumed mostly by the lower classes are the ones that have the most toxic and radical effects on the body. In this article we will see how the drug known as crack is, one of the most common variants of cocaine.

Crack: “the cocaine of the poor”

The drug commonly known as crack is a variant of cocaine that is usually made by boiling cocaine hydrochloride and sodium bicarbonate together. As the water leaves in the form of steam, the remaining crystal deposit is this substance.

Normally, crack is sold looking like stone made of tiny crystals, and a powder can easily be created from this material. Also, although crack is associated with white, these crystals can be of virtually any color. However, the degrees of purity of crack stones vary greatly, and is usually mixed with very different substances , such as talc or amphetamines.

It is a drug for recreational use and, due to its commercialization outside the law, can be sold completely adulterated and with potentially deadly elements with a single consumption.

Consumption mode

Unlike striped cocaine, crack is consumed in an inhaled manner, by heating it up and smoking it , usually with a pipe or similar object. The name of this drug comes from the crackle sound produced when it is heated.

The effects of this drug

Crack is one of the variants of cocaine with the most powerful effects on the body. On the one hand, this substance reaches the brain faster than conventional cocaine . In fact, it comes into contact with the nerve cells of the brain in a matter of seconds, and in less than a minute the effects reach their peak.

This peak or “high” also lasts very little , so that in a time ranging from 5 to 15 minutes the person who has taken crack notes how the euphoria disappears and remains in a state of exhaustion and discomfort.

This is because at the peak of the euphoric effects generated by crack, the brain is flooded with a large amount of dopamine , while when the effects of the drug wear off, the amount of this neurotransmitter drops to levels below those before consumption.

Common symptoms of consumption

Among the most common effects of crack use are the feeling of euphoria, panic attacks, insomnia, hallucinations, persecutory delusions and paranoia. And, among the most serious effects, there are convulsions, psychotic outbursts and cardiovascular accidents resulting from the sudden increase in heart rate.

In practice, people who use crack meet all the characteristics of drug addicts who act by simply following all the steps that need to be taken in order to use again as soon as possible. Among these behaviours are attempts to steal money, disruption of schedules and problems in staying in the workplace, deterioration of emotional and social relationships , including those involving friends and family, etc.

In terms of cognitive and emotional symptoms, both mood swings and denial of the problem are common, since showing this “soft spot” is seen as something that can cause other people to prevent crack from being used again. In those brief moments of euphoria, a person who has used crack often shows joy and full confidence in his or her abilities (often to the point of delirium), while when the effect wears off, depressive symptoms and insecurities appear.
Of course, the more time spent using crack the worse the prognosis is and the harder it is to stay away from this drug.

The addictive potential of crack

As we have seen, crack has euphoric effects as immediate as they are fleeting. This, in practice, makes the user try to take another dose of this drug a few minutes after having consumed it , since the changes in the organism occur very suddenly.

It is currently believed that crack is one of the most addictive drugs both because of the type of habits that are promoted by this immediacy of the effects , as well as because of its chemical composition and the speed with which dependency can appear. In fact, less than 3 consumptions are capable of generating a strong craving and general discomfort caused by the absence of this drug in the blood.