When you mix cocaine with ammonia or baking soda, the result is crack. This powerful substance creates a high that is similar to cocaine. However, there are several differences between crack vs cocaine. Many of these differences can be seen in their appearance, how they are used, their price, and the overall effects they have on users. While standard cocaine is still considered by many to be the premier form of the substance, crack is popular because of how easy it is to attain, the price, and ease of use. Let’s take a closer look below to compare crack and cocaine and what you need to know about each drug.
Comparing Crack vs Cocaine: What Are the Differences
Although crack is a derivative of cocaine, several differences distinguish each form of the drug. Some of the differences include:
- Appearance: Cocaine comes from the coca plant, an indigenous plant found mainly in South America. In its original form, cocaine may look brown. Once ground up and bleached, however, it turns into a fine white powdery substance. To make crack, the user dissolves cocaine into a mixture of water and baking soda or ammonia. The cocaine hardens into a yellowish-white rock that is broken down into tiny rocks. The rocks are light, weighing only a tenth of a gram.
- Method of Use: The primary method for ingesting crack is to smoke it. Users smoke crack through a water pipe or glass pipe. It is possible to grind crack and snort or inject it. However, this method is uncommon. When in powder form, there are several ways that a person can ingest cocaine, such as:
- Snort through a straw
- Swallow the cocaine
- Dissolve in water and inject through the veins
- Sprinkle on marijuana or tobacco and smoke it
- Apply to the gums throughout the mouth and let dissolve
Street Price
How much a person pays for crack vs cocaine depends on the market, availability, and location. On average, a gram of powder cocaine may cost $50 to $100. The highest quality of cocaine on the market can cost up to $200 to $300 per gram. By contrast, a one-fifth to one-quart gram of crack may only cost $20 per rock. There are several reasons for this, but the main reason is that a user may not get the same high that exists in pure cocaine.
Effects of the Drug
Cocaine in powder and rock form produces large amounts of dopamine in the brain, stimulating your central nervous system. As a result, the user may feel a surge of energy that lasts for several minutes. Powder cocaine can last up to 30 minutes when it is snorted. The pleasure a person feels smoking crack may only last up to 10 minutes. Both forms of cocaine cause dilated pupils, decreased appetite, anxiety, restlessness, and high blood pressure one to two hours after initial use.
Long-Term Health Conditions
Both cocaine and crack can cause a wide range of long-term health problems, instant side effects, or fatality. Some of the most common health problems include:
- Respiratory failure
- Stroke
- Heart disease
- Seizures
- Psychosis
In addition, a chronic user may experience hyperstimulation, depression, aggressive behavior, or sudden death caused by an overdose. Sadly, regardless of the risks of using cocaine vs crack, people still take them because of how addictive the substance is.
Learn More About Crack vs Cocaine
If you would like to learn more about crack vs cocaine, then contact The Ranch PA today. We offer a wide range of treatments for cocaine addiction. To find out more about your treatment options, call 717.969.9126 today. We are here to help you get on the road to recovery from cocaine addiction.
