When you hear the word “cocaine,” what’s the first thing you visualize?
Many picture someone using a card on a piece of glass or mirror to make neat lines of white powder. They may picture this happening at a party or in the bathroom. You may picture people with rolled-up money being used to snort the cocaine. What age group do you picture? What kind of money do they have?
Now what comes to mind when you hear the word “crack?” Do you picture spoons and stained glass pipes? What do the people look like who are smoking it?
Even just googling “cocaine use” and “crack use” produces those two different stereotypical snapshots. Cocaine use results in statistics and close-ups of lines of white powder with hands nearby. Crack use, in comparison, shows individuals in dimly lit settings hunched over makeshift pipes with lighters held under spoons.
How can two substances derived from the same source have such different images if they’re essentially the same drug?
Over 105,000 Arizona residents reported taking cocaine, in any form, at least once in the past year. Despite this, so many misunderstand crack and cocaine. Our team at Pinnacle Peak Recovery wants to help people who are living with substance use. That’s why, in today’s blog, we’re going to discuss crack vs cocaine.
Crack cocaine is derived from cocaine through a process of adding powdered cocaine to water, combined with ammonia or baking soda, and dissolved. This solution is then boiled until a solid substance forms.
The biggest difference between crack cocaine, often referred to as just “crack,” and “normal” cocaine is the form it comes in. Crack comes in a solid, rock-like form that is white or off-white. Cocaine, on the other hand, is most commonly found in a powdered form.
Cocaine has been around in the United States since the mid-1800s. By comparison, crack cocaine is a brand-new substance. It was only introduced and popularized in the 1980s.
Initially, it was a commonly held belief that crack was the “cheaper” version of cocaine. Later, research uncovered that the price of crack is rarely drastically different than the price of cocaine. The prices vary across the country and can even vary within a state. In some cases, it can be cheaper, but in others, it’s the same price or even more expensive.
So, this misconception is often a large driving force for someone choosing crack over cocaine. In other instances, someone may choose it because they prefer smoking to snorting or just because they found crack before they found cocaine. There’s no set reason that applies to everyone for why they choose crack over cocaine.
Because crack cocaine is a derivative of cocaine, they have far more similarities than they do differences. They produce the same side effects. They come from similar sources. They both can cause long-term and short-term health risks.
So, how can you tell them apart if they’re so similar?
As we mentioned earlier, the biggest difference between cocaine and crack is its physical form.
Cocaine comes in powder form and is often distributed to drug dealers in “brick” form. This “brick” moniker comes from the usually rectangular packages that powdered cocaine is shipped in. Most cocaine in the country is brought in from South America and Mexico, derived from the coca plant, and turned into a powder.
Crack cocaine is usually made and distributed within the country from the imported cocaine. Instead of a fine powder, crack looks like a rock. The exact size of these rock-like chunks can range from smaller than a penny to larger than an apple. The average consumer will rarely see these large chunks and instead will get baggies and other containers with many small chunks of crack.
Both crack and cocaine are white or off-white, usually having a yellow tint to them.
Crack cocaine is smoked by heating the substance and using a pipe or other smoking device. The most common visual for crack cocaine consumption is someone holding a spoon with a lighter underneath it.
When people think of cocaine use, they most often think of someone snorting. While this is often the approach of choice, cocaine can also be consumed orally or dissolved and injected directly into the veins.
There are two types of side effects you should watch out for regarding crack. These are short-term effects and long-term effects. Short-term side effects are those that occur during and shortly after the consumption of a substance. Long-term side effects, on the other hand, are side effects that develop due to consistent and frequent exposure to a substance.
When someone smokes crack, the side effects are felt within minutes but also only last for 15 minutes or less, on average. During this time, people can experience any of the following:
Unlike short-term effects, there isn’t a set timeline for when someone will develop long-term side effects and how long they’ll last. The specifics will vary depending on the person’s history of substance use, their health, their age, and more.
In the long term, it’s common to see an increase in anxiety and depression. Alongside this, you may develop cravings, sleep changes, appetite changes, paranoia, and potentially hallucinations.
Any type of substance use is risky. There’s no time when engaging with illegal and unregulated substances is entirely safe. On top of that, continued consumption of crack cocaine leads to the development of a cocaine use disorder. This directly contributes to the consistent risk that comes along with every instance of smoking crack.
The biggest risk, of all, is overdosing.
Because cocaine, and by extension crack cocaine, is an unregulated and illicit substance, there is no way to ever fully know what you’re putting into your body. One of the most deadly things you can encounter is fentanyl in cocaine. Fentanyl is the leading cause of overdose deaths in Arizona. It can’t be detected with the naked eye, and drug dealers won’t disclose when fentanyl is in their products.
While fentanyl is the most deadly thing you can find in crack, there are other substances that are often cut with cocaine that you can unknowingly put into your body. Cutting is the process of combining filler materials with a drug to increase profits. In the case of cocaine, these often include other white powders like flour or chalk.
Both crack cocaine and “normal” cocaine have risks. No form is more dangerous than another, they’re both equally dangerous.
What can happen between crack consumption instead of cocaine consumption is a difference in what body parts are negatively impacted by your usage. For crack, because it is smoked, you’re more likely to develop a respiratory problem. With cocaine, snorting can lead to nasal damage, whereas injection can cause collapsed veins and a risk of bloodborne illness.
Either way, both forms of cocaine aren’t safe.
Whether you or your loved one are seeking healing from cocaine or crack cocaine, there are quality cocaine addiction treatment program options right here in Arizona. But what makes a program a “quality” one?
A program should have various levels of care and support so they can work with you and your needs. They should offer evidence-based treatment options and additional support services like family and couples therapy. Your concerns aren’t one-dimensional, so your treatment program shouldn’t be, either.
There’s no wrong time to get started. You won't be put into a mold with our compassionate approach to healing through our evidence-based treatment. At Pinnacle Peak Recovery, we recognize you as the unique individual you are an tailor your recovery accordingly. If you want to learn more, call us at 866-377-4761, and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.
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