Oh, “crack” cocaine is purer than powdered cocaine because all the yucky stuff was cooked out. So, injecting the liquid crack means that a purer form of cocaine is being put into the body.

OK, now, everything is clear. It’s a “better” high. And, the danger of putting anything that’s really not supposed to go into the body, like baby powder, or raw flour, or even rat poison isn’t there anymore. So, it might even be safer, right?

WRONG! It’s still using crack, it’s still not safe, it’s still using drugs! NOTHING MAKES THAT RIGHT?

What, are drug users becoming so “bored” that the only thing they have to do now is think up new ways of getting the drug of choice into their systems? Well, here’s a fresh, new idea. HOW ABOUT QUITTING DRUGS ALL TOGETHER? Anyone ever think of that?

How about thinking up ways of getting rid of crack? And, if that seems like too big a task, then think smaller! How about keeping it out of the hands of school children? How about stiffer drug laws? How about cutting off supply lines, even if it is just the local dealer. Hey, it has to start somewhere.

How about a few people having the courage to step up to the plate and give their ideas on how to fight the war on drugs?

In the six years between 1984 and 1990, crack use was at its highest. During this time, increases in crime, homelessness, and other problems, along with emergency room traffic due to crack use were noted. Heck, they couldn’t help but be noticed, they doubled during that time.

The crack that was available during that time was very, very cheap, but it was very, very pure. It was said to be about 80+% pure, compared to the 55% purity of “ordinary” powder cocaine. It sold for as little as $2.50 for one “rock”.

Some people feel, however, that the epidemic would never have occurred had the media not called it that, thus starting a mass panic. So, how do they explain the sharp drop in crack cocaine use AFTER that? Isn’t that what an epidemic is? Something that shows up, sweeps across an area (in this case a whole country), then disappears? OK, then. It was an epidemic, no matter who first called it that.

If it is any consolation, the drop in crack cocaine use has occurred because the next generation saw so clearly the effects that the epidemic had on those who got caught up in it during its peak. In some places today (wouldn’t it be nice if it were ALL places) it is considered an insult to be called a “crack head”.

So, can this be considered a time when something good did come out of something bad? Or, has crack usage really gone down? Comments?

“Crack” cocaine is cocaine that was heated until it became solid. Because it looks just like a small rock or a piece of gravel that can be found on the ground, a piece of crack is referred to as a “rock”.

Cocaine, especially in powder form, is usually mixed or cut with other substances to “stretch” the supply. Not anyone buying this mixture really knows how much cocaine may actually be present. Additionally, the buyer may not know what the cocaine has been mixed with.

This is why cocaine is often mixed with water, then “cooked”. The cooking gets rid of anything that was mixed with the cocaine, and what is left is a solid piece of almost pure cocaine. Since most packaged powder cocaine is more “mix” than cocaine, the small amount of crack cocaine that remains after cooking is usually not very big. It may no larger than an English pea, if even that big.

Because of this, it is not unusual to see a user smoking several small pieces of “crack”. Usually, this is done by putting the “rocks” in a pipe. Because each piece may contain different levels of cocaine, and because the cocaine itself is purer, the chances for overdosing, even on the first time, are very possible. “Crack” is more addictive than cocaine in other forms. That does not mean there are any “good” forms of cocaine. It’s all bad, no matter if it’s powder, liquid, and solid, whatever.

Crack is not “whack”. It is dangerous, it is addictive, and it can kill.

Crack cocaine causes a fast “high.” In other words, its effects are felt quickly, but wear off just as rapidly, leaving the user with a craving for more, immediately, leading to more smoking, leading to smoking more, a vicious circle. Because crack cocaine is normally smoked, it is not unusual to see people who use crack cocaine with burns around their nose and mouth. In fact, this is a sure sign that someone has been using crack cocaine, probably frequently.

People who use crack cocaine will not eat or sleep regularly. Further, crack cocaine affects the heart, causing it to beat more rapidly. Muscle spasms and convulsions are also some effects that crack cocaine can have on the body.

Like heroin, cocaine can cause death the very first time it is used. Because the heart speeds up when cocaine hits the body, a heart attack can very easily occur. Also, cocaine can cause seizures, which can also lead to death. Do you really want the first time to be the last time, for anything? I certainly hope not!

Remember, cocaine in any form is addictive. Crack is not a “safer” form of cocaine. There is no such thing as “safe” cocaine. There is no such thing as a “safe” drug, especially a street drug, period.

Cocaine is largely imported illegally from countries like Peru and Colombia. The prevalence of crack has made the drug more affordable and accessible for younger users and less affluent users.

Because the smoke is absorbed almost instantly through the lungs, crack poses one of the most serious threats to the physical body. Crack users are three times more likely than powder cocaine users to suffer brain seizures, and they also have an increased risk of emphysema. The effects of crack cocaine, which include restricted blood vessels and elevated blood pressure, make it more likely that crack cocaine users will suffer a heart attack.

Behaviorally, crack cocaine can lead to psychotic, hyperactive and violent actions. The drug puts others at risk of physical danger as much as the actual crack addict. When the effect of the high wears off, the user will experience a “crash” that may include such symptoms as depression, fatigue, fear and anxiety.

Other possible consequences of crack use include: Strokes, seizures and other neurological episodes

• Breathing disorders
• Insomnia
• Sexual inability
• Nausea
• Headaches

Crack cocaine use by pregnant women can cause premature birth, still birth, miscarriage, vision or hearing impairments and other developmental issues.

Dangers of Crack Abuse

It has been said that caffeine is the most widely abused legal stimulant in the world. It can also be said that cocaine and cocaine relatives are the most heavily abused illegal stimulant in the United States. Cocaine, in general, is considered to be one of the most potent natural stimulants known to date, as well as one of the most chronically addictive. Chronic, because those who abuse cocaine and its subsidiaries tend to use the substance often and over long periods of time due to highly addictive qualities.

Is crack cocaine really that different or more dangerous than the original powdered cocaine version that it was manufactured from? The answer is a double edged sword. In some respects, crack cocaine is probably more pure than the powdered cocaine, which can be laced with a variety of corrupt substances such as benign meat tenderizers, corn starch, talcum and baking soda or on the other side of the sword; it can contain potentially lethal chemicals like rat poison, high caffeine yields and laxatives. Crack cocaine can also contain adulterations, but during the boiling process many are burned and evaporated off.

Crack, also commonly called “tornado” when inhaled, first emerged in America during the early 1980s and rapidly became a drug of abuse by the middle of that decade. Why did it become so popular so quickly? Compared to many other street drugs available, crack is relatively inexpensive, both to produce and purchase, making it somewhat affordable for the average person to buy and because it is easy to manufacture, the supply is readily accessible in almost all communities.

The fact that crack is so easily obtained creates a dangerous situation for everyone. Sadly dangerous for the mother watching her child out the window walking to the school bus, sad for the employer trying to work with an employees absenteeism, sad for the law official struggling with having shot a 12-year-old during a raid, sad for real estate values and loss of retailers whose business is inhibited because potential buyers no longer will venture into the neighborhood due to drug houses, pedaling in the streets, police calls on a regular basis and an increase in personal fear factors and property security. It is proven that in areas where drug abuse is high, burglary, theft and assault also rises. These are dangers of any drug addiction.

Crack is a highly addictive rock form of cocaine. Instead of being snorted or dissolved and then injected like its powder counterpart, crack cocaine is typically smoked. Of course crack is very destructive on the quality of one’s life and health. However, crack can also have a detrimental effect on the health of a pregnant woman’s baby, if she is so addicted that she cannot stop using crack while carrying the child.

The risks to the infant include: More still births, premature births and miscarriages

• Seizures or strokes
• Cerebral Palsy
• Mental retardation
• Deficiencies in sight or hearing abilities
• Urinary tract diseases
• Autism
• Learning disabilities

Mothers who choose to smoke crack while their babies are in the womb also causes their child to become addicted. This subjects the child to a painful withdrawal period, something no infant should have to endure in the first few days of life. The effects of crack cocaine on an infant are completely reversible with early intervention. However, should that child remain in the parent’s care, the child is more likely to grow up neglected or abused and develop a host of emotional and mental issues. Thus, the biggest danger of crack abuse is not the health risk it poses to the user. It is actually the physical, mental and emotional health risks it poses to innocent children and helpless family members.

Ask yourself: is it really worth it?