Crack Cocaine Rehab Program
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?