Crack is highly addictive freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It became very popular in impoverished inner city neighborhoods in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami in late 1984 and 1985. The rapid increase in use and availability during this time period is referred to as the crack epidemic. This drug offers a short but intense high to its users.
How is Crack Ingested?
Crack is heated and then smoked. It got its main name because of the crackling sound it makes when heated.
Is Crack Natural or Manmade?
Crack is a manmade drug that is made by converting cocaine hydrochloride into a solid form of freebase cocaine; this is done by cooking cocaine hydrochloride with sodium bicarbonate or ammonia. The result of the …show more content…
When the crack is smoked the muscles tense and the heart beats faster. The person will experience exhilaration as a result of the release of specific mood hormones. When the person is high on crack they can experience euphoria, supreme confidence, loss of appetite, insomnia, alertness, and increased energy.
What Short Term and Long Term Health Effects Does Crack Have on a Person?
The short-term effects caused by crack are intense depression, edginess, and craving for more of the drug. Users of the drug often don’t eat or sleep properly. Users can also experience greatly increased heart rate, muscle spasms and convulsions. The long-term effects caused by crack are severe respiratory problems, including coughing, shortness of breath, lung damage and bleeding. More long-term effects from use of crack include severe damage to the heart, liver and kidneys. Users are also more likely to have infectious diseases.
Is Crack Ever Legal?
In the United States, cocaine is a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act, indicating that it has high abuse potential but also carries a medicinal purpose. So, crack also falls under the same category because it is a form of cocaine so they are considered both to be the same drug. However, it is illegal to possess, distribute, and use in the United