Cocaine
Cocaine/crack and the Law
Cocaine is a Class A drug.
What is Cocaine/Crack?
Cocaine is a very strong central nervous system stimulant that interferes with the re-absorption process of dopamine (a chemical messenger associated with pleasure and movement). It is extracted from the leaves of the coca plant and like most powdered street drugs it is heavily adulterated with similar looking substances such as powdered milk, glucose and vitamin C.
Two of the most common types are cocaine powder (hydrochloride) and Crack Cocaine. Cocaine powder is usually snorted up the nose or made into a solution and injected. Crack Cocaine is a smokable version of cocaine that is made into small rocks about the size of a raisin. It is usually smoked in a pipe, plastic bottle, glass tube or foil.
What are the effects?
You feel a sense of well-being, alertness, confidence, and a craving of more. The effects of cocaine are fast acting, but short lived. Users report a feeling of exhilaration, increased confidence and energy and a killing of all feelings of pain, tiredness and hunger. You may experience a dry mouth, hot sweats, faster heart rate, runny nose and nasal irritation. The effects appear in three minutes and begin to fade within 40 minutes. Before long exhilaration is replaced by restlessness and nausea.
Crack has the same short-lived effects as Cocaine but more intense. As it is smoked it is absorbed easier and the immediate effects peak for about two minutes and last for approximately 10 minutes. Users can appear agitated, aggressive and experience paranoia. The high can come with mood swings and hallucinations.
What are the risks?
As the effects are short lived you feel the desire to take more and more to recreate the high. However, the more frequently you take the drug the bigger the downs become. High doses can raise your body’s temperature, cause convulsions and respiratory arrest. Smoking too much crack can cause breathing problems and chest pains.
As Cocaine is an appetite suppressant long-term use can lead to malnutrition. It can result in a range of mental health conditions, can lead to heart problems and can cause miscarriage and premature labour if you take it when pregnant.
The risk of overdosing is increased if Cocaine or crack is mixed with alcohol or barbiturates. Injecting a mixture of Cocaine and Heroin, known as ‘speedball’ is an extremely dangerous cocktail of drugs. Injecting any drug can cause vein damage, ulcers and gangrene. Sharing needles helps to spread hepatitis and HIV.
