Crack Cocaine
Crack cocaine is an extremely powerful and dangerous stimulant drug. Crack cocaine causes adverse side effects and serious health problems. Crack cocaine is very addicting and overdoses are very common.
A History of Crack Cocaine
The history of cocaine dates back thousands of years to ancient indigenous peoples in South America chewing the intoxicating erythroxylon coca leaves. Starting in the 1800’s, coca leaves were processed into various foods, drinks and medicines. During the 1900’s the widespread prevalence continued until cocaine became a standard recreational drug. During the 1980’s, the underground cocaine submarket exploded in America resulting in over 10 million cocaine addicts in 1982. As powder cocaine became less popular during the 1990’s, crack cocaine become more popular. In 2009, experts estimate that there were over 700,000 crack cocaine users. Currently, the level of crack cocaine consumption in the U.S. is staying the same because drug manufacturers are focusing on European markets. http://www.narconon.org/drug-information/cocaine-circa-1990s-2012.html How is Crack Cocaine Smuggled? Drugs traffickers now use sophisticated patterns and methods to move drugs. For example, semi-submersible vehicles were designed by Colombia drug manufactures in the 1990’s to transport cocaine to Mexico. Today, this semi-submersible vehicles use military grade technology and parts, which makes them very undetectable. In addition to this, independently built submarines can move up to 150 tons of cocaine. Finally, drug traffickers become human traffickers when they use illegal immigrants to move their goods. Crack Cocaine Statistics In 2006, almost 9 million Americans 12 years and older admitted to having used crack. In 2007, the government found that over three percent of high schools had used crack cocaine. In 2006, over 70 percent of addiction treatment facility admissions were for crack cocaine addictions. http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/crackcocaine/international-statistics.html What Exactly is Crack Cocaine? Cocaine is extracted from the South American erythroxylon coca leaves. Dried coca leaves only contain one percent cocaine. The leaves are moistened with alkali liquids, treated with paraffin and processed through complex chemical procedures. After cocaine hydrochloride is cooked, it becomes crack. That is, cocaine hydrochloride is created through liquefying powdered cocaine in a mix of water and ammonia or baking soda. The solid substances are removed from the liquid based, dried and then broken into chunks for consumption. Crack cocaine is actually rock crystals that are smoked and thus absorbed into the blood-stream via the lungs. That is, crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine. Crystalized cocaine is referred to as crack because of the crackling sound made as the rocks are being heated up. Crack vs. Powdered Cocaine Powdered cocaine is snorted through the nose and absorbed through the sinus membranes. …show more content…
Up to 60 percent of the powder can be absorbed through the nose. Powdered cocaine that is directly injected into the bloodstream provides the strongest high. Finally, crack cocaine is smoked through a pipe. Inhaling crack provides a fast and intense high. Crack cocaine is one of the most highly addicted drugs because it stimulates the brain’s pleasure centers, which creates very intense and euphoric sensations. Tolerance and psychological dependence quickly develop as the addict continues to experience the powerful first high.
Physiological Effects
Crack cocaine has harmful short-term and long-term effects on the body. Cocaine has multiple effects on key neurotransmitters in the brain. Cocaine directly increase the release of dopamine, which is the central pleasure center neurotransmitter. Cocaine increases the release of norepinephrine, which increases alertness, heart rate and blood pressure. Higher serotonin levels interfere with sleep, mood and appetite. Long-term crack cocaine consumption results in permanently low levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. After crack enters the body, addicts may experience:
-insomnia
-dilated pupils -muscle tremors -appetite changes -constricted blood vessels -nausea or abdominal pain -increased body temperature -increased blood pressure and heart rate Research has shown that chronic crack cocaine abuse results in lung, heart and live problems. For example, crack cocaine constricts blood vessels in the lungs, which limits blood and oxygen circulation. As a result, the addict may experience lung damage and scarring. Heart attacks and strokes are also a danger because cocaine drastically affects the cardiovascular system. Additionally, smoking crack will result in nosebleeds, loss of sense of
Crack cocaine is an extremely powerful and dangerous stimulant drug. Crack cocaine causes adverse side effects and serious health problems. Crack cocaine is very addicting and overdoses are very common.
A History of Crack Cocaine
The history of cocaine dates back thousands of years to ancient indigenous peoples in South America chewing the intoxicating erythroxylon coca leaves. Starting in the 1800’s, coca leaves were processed into various foods, drinks and medicines. During the 1900’s the widespread prevalence continued until cocaine became a standard recreational drug. During the 1980’s, the underground cocaine submarket exploded in America resulting in over 10 million cocaine addicts in 1982. As powder cocaine became less popular during the 1990’s, crack cocaine become more popular. In 2009, experts estimate that there were over 700,000 crack cocaine users. Currently, the level of crack cocaine consumption in the U.S. is staying the same because drug manufacturers are focusing on European markets. http://www.narconon.org/drug-information/cocaine-circa-1990s-2012.html How is Crack Cocaine Smuggled? Drugs traffickers now use sophisticated patterns and methods to move drugs. For example, semi-submersible vehicles were designed by Colombia drug manufactures in the 1990’s to transport cocaine to Mexico. Today, this semi-submersible vehicles use military grade technology and parts, which makes them very undetectable. In addition to this, independently built submarines can move up to 150 tons of cocaine. Finally, drug traffickers become human traffickers when they use illegal immigrants to move their goods. Crack Cocaine Statistics In 2006, almost 9 million Americans 12 years and older admitted to having used crack. In 2007, the government found that over three percent of high schools had used crack cocaine. In 2006, over 70 percent of addiction treatment facility admissions were for crack cocaine addictions. http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/crackcocaine/international-statistics.html What Exactly is Crack Cocaine? Cocaine is extracted from the South American erythroxylon coca leaves. Dried coca leaves only contain one percent cocaine. The leaves are moistened with alkali liquids, treated with paraffin and processed through complex chemical procedures. After cocaine hydrochloride is cooked, it becomes crack. That is, cocaine hydrochloride is created through liquefying powdered cocaine in a mix of water and ammonia or baking soda. The solid substances are removed from the liquid based, dried and then broken into chunks for consumption. Crack cocaine is actually rock crystals that are smoked and thus absorbed into the blood-stream via the lungs. That is, crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine. Crystalized cocaine is referred to as crack because of the crackling sound made as the rocks are being heated up. Crack vs. Powdered Cocaine Powdered cocaine is snorted through the nose and absorbed through the sinus membranes. …show more content…
Up to 60 percent of the powder can be absorbed through the nose. Powdered cocaine that is directly injected into the bloodstream provides the strongest high. Finally, crack cocaine is smoked through a pipe. Inhaling crack provides a fast and intense high. Crack cocaine is one of the most highly addicted drugs because it stimulates the brain’s pleasure centers, which creates very intense and euphoric sensations. Tolerance and psychological dependence quickly develop as the addict continues to experience the powerful first high.
Physiological Effects
Crack cocaine has harmful short-term and long-term effects on the body. Cocaine has multiple effects on key neurotransmitters in the brain. Cocaine directly increase the release of dopamine, which is the central pleasure center neurotransmitter. Cocaine increases the release of norepinephrine, which increases alertness, heart rate and blood pressure. Higher serotonin levels interfere with sleep, mood and appetite. Long-term crack cocaine consumption results in permanently low levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. After crack enters the body, addicts may experience:
-insomnia
-dilated pupils -muscle tremors -appetite changes -constricted blood vessels -nausea or abdominal pain -increased body temperature -increased blood pressure and heart rate Research has shown that chronic crack cocaine abuse results in lung, heart and live problems. For example, crack cocaine constricts blood vessels in the lungs, which limits blood and oxygen circulation. As a result, the addict may experience lung damage and scarring. Heart attacks and strokes are also a danger because cocaine drastically affects the cardiovascular system. Additionally, smoking crack will result in nosebleeds, loss of sense of