Are crack and cocaine the same thing? Many people believe that crack and cocaine are the same. They are varieties of the same drug. The difference between them is essentially a matter of substance. Crack cocaine comes in small crystals. Regular cocaine is powdered. Crack cocaine takes the shape it does because it is powdered cocaine that has been combined with water and another substance, often baking soda. This combination is boiled, cooled, and broken into pieces. This turns it into a crystalline structure that is then marketed and sold as crack cocaine.
Reach out to 833.999.1941 for more information about Solution Based Treatment & Detox’s Murrieta, California, cocaine addiction treatment program.
Crack vs. Cocaine: Definitions
The first thing to know about crack vs. cocaine is that they are the same drug in different forms. Each type of cocaine is described in more detail below.
What Is Cocaine?
Cocaine is a drug derived from the coca plant. It is a stimulant that boosts alertness, concentration, and energy. Cocaine users also tend to experience a euphoric high. Plain cocaine comes in powder form and tends to be snorted or ingested. It can also be injected when mixed with water.
What Is Crack Cocaine?
Crack cocaine is a form of cocaine that is created by mixing cocaine with water and baking soda. This mixture is boiled, cooled, and broken into small pieces. This type of cocaine is then sold in little rocks that are smoked. The name comes from the crackling sound this type of cocaine produces when heated and smoked. The high concentration of crack cocaine means it is very addictive.
Crack vs. Cocaine: Differences
The most significant visual difference is that cocaine is a powder, and crack cocaine comes in small rocks of crystals. The more significant differences are a layer beneath the surface.
Cocaine and crack cocaine are both stimulants and produce typical stimulant effects. However, they do act differently on the body. Powdered cocaine is usually snorted. This method produces effects in just a few minutes, with the impact peaking at around 20 minutes. Meanwhile, smoking crack cocaine has effects that take hold in under a minute and which peak at five minutes. The quick-acting nature of crack cocaine often leads users to binge because its effects are fleeting. This can end up in a devastating cycle of crashing and binging and is another reason that crack cocaine is more dangerous and more addictive than typical cocaine.
Another part of the crack vs. cocaine discussion is who uses which drug. Powder cocaine tends to be more expensive compared to crack cocaine. This has given crack cocaine a reputation for being used by low-income people or people of color in urban areas. However, data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse contradict these stereotypes. Their information indicated that the majority of crack cocaine users are Caucasian.
Crack Cocaine Treatment in Murrieta, California
Solution Based Treatment & Detox is a leading provider of crack cocaine treatment in Murrieta, California. Treating cocaine vs. crack cocaine largely relies on the same methods. Detox and therapy are the hallmarks of quality crack cocaine treatment in Murrieta, California. Detox is the process of eliminating a drug from the body and establishing a baseline of sobriety to build on during treatment.
The detox process involves withdrawal symptoms as a person’s body adjusts to life without drug use. These can be uncomfortable and complex. Addiction treatment providers put several safeguards and services in place to ensure clients are safe and cared for during the early, difficult days of recovery. After detox, people enter a phase of ongoing treatment with therapy as the foundation.
Contact Solution Based Treatment & Detox today at 833.999.1941 to access high-quality crack cocaine treatment in Murrieta, California.