Cocaine & Crack: Understanding the Basics

Commonly referred to as Blow, C, coke, crack, flake, freebase, rock, and snow.

What Is It?

Cocaine, a well-known stimulant, accelerates the activities of the central nervous system. It is derived from the coca plant and processed into a powdered form. In contrast, crack cocaine, often mentioned in discussions about cooking coke or cooking cocaine, is a derivative of powdered cocaine. The transition from cocaine to crack, colloquially known as cooking, involves a process where substances like baking soda are added to cocaine. This mixture, often referred to in street vernacular as crack cooking or cooking crack cocaine, is then exposed to heat. It’s important to note that this process, sometimes inquired about as how to cook coke to crack or how to cook freebase, is illegal and dangerous.

The transformation of cocaine into its crack form, which might be described in some circles as cooking crack on a spoon, changes its properties, making it smokable. Queries like how long does it take to cook crack or how do you cook crack cocaine highlight a curiosity about this process, but it’s essential to stress that engaging in such activities is unlawful and hazardous.

Moreover, the notion of recooking crack, encompassing actions like how to recook crack or how do you recook crack, refers to further altering the substance post its initial conversion. This practice is not only illegal but also adds to the health risks associated with crack use.

How Does It Work?

Cocaine and crack cocaine affect the brain’s neurotransmitters, particularly norepinephrine and dopamine, by preventing these chemicals’ re-absorption in the synaptic cleft. This action results in feelings of euphoria, heightened alertness and energy, increased confidence, and mood elevation.

The effects of powdered cocaine, when snorted, emerge within minutes and last about 30 minutes to an hour. If injected, the effects are immediate and last about 15 minutes. Crack cocaine, which is smokable, produces almost instant effects lasting 5-20 minutes.

Due to its short-lived nature and intensely reinforcing effects on the dopaminergic system, users often consume the drug in rapid succession, more frequently than other longer-lasting stimulants like methamphetamine.

What Does It Look Like?

Cocaine hydrochloride, the form snorted or injected, is a white crystalline powder resembling common kitchen substances like baking soda or flour. It is sometimes adulterated with visually similar substances such as cornstarch or talcum powder or other drugs like local anesthetics or amphetamines. If relatively pure, it appears slightly shiny, akin to fish scales, and has a bitter, numbing taste, particularly noticeable after snorting, resulting in a bitter flavour at the back of the throat, known as “the drips.”

The base form of cocaine can be chemically altered to create smokable forms like “freebase” and “crack,” which appear as crystal-like or small white/yellowish rocks. Smoking it produces a warm, numbing sensation in the mouth and lungs.

Cocaine is often combined with other drugs, particularly alcohol and cannabis. A mixture of cocaine and heroin dissolved for injection is termed a “speedball” (CAMH, 2010).

Understanding Cocaine

Is There a Safe Dose?

Given the uncertainties in the composition and strength of illicit drugs under prohibition, a safe dose of cocaine is hard to determine. Cocaine is frequently adulterated with levamisole (a veterinary drug causing health issues) and may be mixed with other substances like caffeine and fentanyl.

The effects of a dose depend on the user’s tolerance and individual biology, along with any other consumed narcotics and mental state. A typical dose of cocaine is about 1/10th of a gram. Crack cocaine is sold in rock form, with a dose slightly smaller than that of powdered cocaine, ranging from 15 mg to 50 mg.

Effects

Cocaine and crack cocaine use lead to sensations of euphoria, stimulation, fatigue suppression, confidence, enhanced sensory experiences (like music, art, or sexual encounters), increased sociability, and appetite suppression.

Effects include:

  • Feeling high, relaxed, and enjoying heightened sensory experiences
  • Euphoria, chattiness, giggling, and liveliness 
  • Anxiety, fear, and/or tension
  • Drowsiness or haziness

Physical effects include:

  • Red eyes
  • Dry mouth & throat 
  • Irritated respiratory system (when smoked) 
  • Increased appetite 
  • Elevated heart rate 
  • Lowered blood pressure
  • Drowsiness or restlessness 

Post-use users may experience anxiety, depression, and a strong craving for more cocaine. Some maintain the high by continuous use over hours or days (CAMH, 2010).

Side effects and cautions

Risks associated with cocaine use (CAMH, 2010):

  • Cocaine constricts blood vessels and thickens them, reducing oxygen flow to the heart while also increasing heart muscle exertion. This can lead to heart attack or stroke, even in healthy individuals.
  • Cocaine elevates blood pressure, risking brain vessel rupture.
  • Even small quantities can lead to overdose, causing seizures, heart failure, and respiratory issues. No antidote exists for cocaine overdose.
  • Combined with alcohol, it produces cocaethylene, significantly increasing overdose and sudden death risks beyond cocaine use alone.

High doses and prolonged use (CAMH, 2010):

Excessive or extended use can cause paranoia, sleep deprivation, anxiety, heart palpitations, irritability, aggression, hallucinations, increased body temperature, muscle spasms, and possible strokes.

Long-term excessive use may result in:

  • panic attacks
  • psychotic symptoms like paranoia, hallucinations, and delusions
  • erratic, bizarre, and sometimes violent behaviour.

Regular users may develop tolerance to cocaine’s euphoric effects, needing more to achieve the same effect while also becoming more sensitive to its adverse effects, like anxiety, psychosis, and seizures (CAMH, 2010).

Long-term effects (CAMH, 2010):

Regular cocaine use can cause lasting changes in the brain’s reward system, potentially leading to addiction. Even after stopping, cravings and psychiatric symptoms may persist.

Long-term use is linked to numerous health and behavioural issues, such as:

  • Nasal damage from snorting
  • “Crack lung” from smoking
  • Infections from injection use
  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding risks
  • Link to risky behaviours and mental health issues

Chronic use can also cause weight loss, malnutrition, poor health, sexual problems, infertility, and loss of social and financial support.

Addiction

Not all cocaine users become addicted, but for those who do, it’s a challenging addiction to overcome. Addicted individuals lose control over their cocaine use, prioritizing it despite medical, psychological, and social consequences. Addiction can develop regardless of the method of intake, influenced by the amount and frequency of use.

When users stop taking cocaine, they may “crash,” experiencing mood swings and intense cravings, leading to addiction. Symptoms of withdrawal include exhaustion, sleep disturbances, hunger, irritability, depression, suicidal thoughts, and cravings. The memory of the cocaine high poses a significant relapse risk.

Therapeutic Uses

Cocaine is extracted from Erythroxylum (coca) bush leaves, historically chewed in South America for energy and hunger-reduction.

In healthcare, cocaine numbs mucous membranes before certain medical procedures, reducing bleeding and swelling. Today, synthetic anesthetics are more commonly used.

Harm Reduction Tips

To minimize risks:

  1. Avoid mixing cocaine or crack with other substances.
  2. Use personal consumption devices in group settings to prevent virus transmission.
  3. Test your batch for adulterants like fentanyl to reduce overdose risks. 
  4. Hydrate, eat and rest between uses due to the drug’s short-duration effects.

Legal Status

In Canada, cocaine and crack cocaine are Schedule I drugs under the “Controlled Drugs and Substances Act,” subject to strict policing and penalties. Crack cocaine users often face more severe legal consequences, particularly in the U.S., where penalties are disproportionately higher compared to powdered cocaine users (American Civil Liberties Union, 2006).

History of Cocaine

Isolated from coca leaves in 1860, cocaine was initially used as a local anesthetic. Promoted by Sigmund Freud in the 1880s for various ailments, it became widely available in medicines and drinks. Following recognition of its dangers, Canada restricted cocaine in 1911. Its popularity resurged in the 1970s with the advent of cheaper crack cocaine in the 1980s.