Most people who inject find that, if given the opportunity to try out different brands of needles and syringes, they will find one that they prefer over all others. Different manufacturers create needles and syringes of varying quality. Some brands of needles are more comfortable to inject with than others, and the plungers on some brands of syringes are easier to manipulate than on others. Feeling relaxed, confident, and calm will help ensure that you will take your time to inject hygienically and properly. If you’re in withdrawal, panicked about getting high in a public bathroom, or otherwise anxious and upset, the chances of something going wrong increase.
Crack cocaine, also known simply as crack, is a highly addictive and dangerous drug. It is a form of cocaine that has been processed to make it smokable, and it is typically sold as small rocks or chunks. Shooting crack, or injecting it, is an even more dangerous way to use the drug, as it greatly increases the risk of overdose and other health complications.
What Other High-profile Individuals Have Smoked Crack?
Check out our blog posts and resource links for the latest information on substance abuse. Crack cocaine is usually substantially cheaper than the powder form of cocaine. In many instances, it is also more widely available and easier to obtain on the street. The most common places it occurs are in the legs, and it is generally caused by damage to the veins, like the kind of damage done with IV drug use. Injecting crack can result in collapsed veins, which is a blown vein that has caved in. Our specialists are available to speak with you or your loved one if there is a concern regarding cocaine injection or addiction.
The Dangers of Shooting Crack
Shooting crack is extremely dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. Some of the risks associated with this method of use include:
- Overdose: Injecting crack greatly increases the risk of overdose, as it causes the drug to enter the bloodstream and reach the brain much more quickly than other methods of use.
- Infection: Injecting drugs can cause serious infections, including HIV and hepatitis, if needles are shared or reused.
- Collapsed veins: Repeated injection can cause the veins to collapse, making it difficult or impossible to find a vein to inject into.
- Abscesses: Injecting drugs can also cause abscesses, or pockets of pus, to form under the skin.
- Organ damage: Long-term use of crack can cause damage to the heart, lungs, and other organs.
Cocaine is most commonly snorted, although it can also be smoked or injected. People with cocaine use disorder may benefit from community-based programs. Researchers are evaluating drug treatments that help people stop using cocaine. For example, it affects the amount of glutamate, a neurotransmitter that sends messages between nerve cells in the brain. Long-term cocaine use dulls thinking processes and the ability to remember information.
New equipment should be used for every injection and should not be shared or reused. This will reduce the chance of vein damage, blood-borne infections such as hepatitis C and HIV, and other types of blood, skin and heart infections. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals.
If you’re injecting in a relatively public place, like a toilet stall in a public bathroom, try to make it look like you’re changing your clothes or freshening up. Most importantly, always try to stay as calm as possible no matter where you’re injecting. Aside from the duration and the intensity of the effects, smoking crack and using powdered cocaine have nearly identical short-term effects. When injected into the bloodstream, crack cocaine interacts with dopamine in the brain to stop the reuptake and produce a flood of feel-good chemicals. Dopamine, in particular, helps regulate the attention span, memory, learning, movement, and emotions.
Alternatives to Shooting Crack
A professional addiction treatment program can help you or your loved one gain the tools you need to overcome the effects of addiction and learn how to live a healthy, sober, and happy lifestyle. If you are injecting crack cocaine, that means that you are sending the substance directly into your bloodstream, allowing it to reach your brain faster and perpetuating your risk of severe addiction. A theory suggests that the increased number of people injecting crack is due to the decreased amount of powder (water soluble) cocaine in many areas of the U.S. Also, people who have misused crack cocaine in this way report that it gives them a stronger high that lasts much longer, compared to the high from smoking the substance. High blood pressure, history of heart disease, and long-term use increases your risk of crack overdose—control your dose, don’t inject alone, and call 911 if someone is overdosing after injecting crack.
What Does Crack Cocaine Look Like?
There are many safer alternatives to shooting crack. These include:
- Snorting: This involves snorting the powdered form of the drug through the nose.
- Smoking: Crack can be smoked using a pipe or other device.
- Oral ingestion: The drug can be swallowed in pill or powder form.
Seeking Help for Crack Addiction
If you or someone you know is struggling with crack addiction, it is important to seek help as soon as possible. There are many resources available to assist with treatment and recovery, including:
- 12-step programs: These are peer-led support groups, such as Narcotics Anonymous, that follow a set of principles to help people recover from addiction.
- Outpatient treatment: This involves regular therapy sessions and counseling, typically on a weekly or biweekly basis.
- Inpatient treatment: This is a more intensive form of treatment, typically involving a 30-day stay in a rehab facility.
- Medication-assisted treatment: This involves the use of medication, such as methadone or buprenorphine, to help manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Crack’s Highly Addictive Nature
FAQs
What is crack?
Crack is a form of cocaine that has been processed to make it smokable. It is typically sold as small rocks or chunks.
How is crack different from powder cocaine?
Crack is a more potent form of cocaine than powder cocaine, and it is typically smoked or injected rather than snorted.
How do people shoot crack?
Shooting crack involves dissolving the drug in water and injecting it into a vein using a needle. This is an extremely dangerous way to use the drug, as it greatly increases the risk of overdose and other health complications.
What are the risks of shooting crack?
Shooting crack is extremely dangerous and can lead to overdose, infection, collapsed veins, abscesses, and organ damage. It is important to avoid this method of use and seek help for crack addiction as soon as possible.
- It’s believed that, in the United States, crack injection has a low prevalence.
- While we may not always be aware of it, where we use, who we use with (if anyone), and our state of mind when we’re getting high can all have an impact on injection safety.
- In particular, younger crack injectors may be adopting preparation practices, such as applying heat to a cooker, that have been shown to be protective against infectious diseases (Clatts, Heimer et al., 1999).
- You put more fucking citric in it and in reality, it’s not going to dissolve, but it could be anything, do you know what I mean, so that’s how people use loads of citric.
- Most importantly, always try to stay as calm as possible no matter where you’re injecting.
How can I get help for crack addiction?
There are many resources available to assist with treatment and recovery from crack addiction, including 12-step programs, outpatient and inpatient treatment, and medication-assisted treatment. It is important to seek help as soon as possible if you or someone you know is struggling with this addiction.
