Freebase, Crack, C, Rock, Stone
Illegal (Class A)
A crack rock costs between £10 and £20. It is sometimes sold cheaper by the “slice” for less than £10.
Stimulant
- Crack cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant drug made from the leaves of the coca plant native to South America.
- Crack is a form of cocaine that has been processed to make a rock crystal that can be smoked.
- Crack can be prepared to make a solution of cocaine for injecting. Sharing needles and syringes or other injecting equipment, when injecting, runs the risk of the injector catching or spreading HIV and hepatitis C infection.
- The effects of smoking crack take place instantly, the high lasting for about two minutes and full effects for about 10 minutes and the crash period known as the ‘come-down’, sometimes lasting for days afterwards.
- The purity of crack depends on the purity of the cocaine used originally to produce the crack.
- Users of crack become agitated, hostile, aggressive, angry and sometimes paranoid.
- Using crack will make your heart rate beat faster, blood pressure and your body temperature will rise. Whilst all this is happening to your body it can also stop you from feeling hungry.
- Smoking crack can cause problems with breathing and result in lung damage and even cardiac arrest.
- Crack is often mixed with other toxic substances which when burned give off toxic fumes.
- Using crack causes problems with normal brain functioning, users rapidly have to take more of the drug in an attempt to feel the same high, making crack cocaine one of the most addictive drugs available.
- After the initial high, mood swings are common and the “come down” can lead to the user becoming extremely depressed, isolated and secretive.
- It’s easier to overdose if you are injecting cocaine.
- Due to the extreme ‘high’ crack produces, some users will use heroin to help them cope with the ‘come-down’ and the ‘low’ that follows which can result in being addicted to both crack and heroin.
- Veins may be damaged and an abscess or blood clot developing when injecting crack cocaine.
- When the effects of any crack cocaine use start to wear off the user may be tempted to take more leaving the user needing more crack to get the initial high they got when they first used.
- Using crack cocaine when you are pregnant can damage your baby. It can cause miscarriage, premature labour and low birth weight.
- Crack is not a popular drug of choice with young people, but advice should be sought immediately if you know someone that is using or are using yourself.
- Crack can the user feel very paranoid and potentially aggressive. If you do use crack then stay with people you trust and know well and in a setting you have some control of.
- When using alcohol and crack together another substance called cocaethalyne can be created in the body. This can be more dangerous than using alcohol and crack individually.
- Injecting crack should be avoided as it can lead to blood borne viruses like Hepatitis B.
- Pipes or other smoking paraphernalia should not be shared – avoid sharing as this increases the risk of passing infections.
- Make use of needle exchange services in your local area by contacting your local pharmacy or drug and alcohol services.
- It is possible to overdose on crack and any use should be with extreme caution.
- Crack is known to have a strong aphrodisiac (turn-on) effect, be aware of safe sexual practices before using it.
- Injecting crack is more dangerous than smoking it, so if you don’t inject then do not start to inject.
- Have days where you don’t use crack and also keep a limit on the amount you use.
