Crack Cocaine

The Government has a National Crack Strategy, acknowledging that crack cocaine is a drug that impacts severely upon communities and is very destructive for the user. Its is highly addictive and has very strong links with crime, particularly violent crime. It is a Class A drug. Its use in Britain is steadily increasing.

What is crack?
Crack is a smokeable form of cocaine. It is cocaine, baking soda and water. It is called crack because it crackles when it is being burnt. It is a stimulant with very short lived effects.It is usually smoked in a pipe, glass tube, plastic bottle or foil. It can be injected but most people smoke it in one of the ways mentioned, as this creates the biggest 'buzz'. Crack is also known as rocks, wash, stone, pebbles, base or freebase. A rock is usually the size of a raisin and costs between £10 and £20 approximately.

What are the problems caused by crack cocaine?
Crack is very addictive and causes massive cravings for the user. Due to the addictiveness, it has very clear links with crime in communities, as users commit offences to feed their habit. It is viewed as a relatively new social phenomenon in drug taking, but has in fact been around for some time. Recently, the problems associated with crack have become more widespread and it has infiltrated more communities as it becomes cheaper and readily available. Many people who are primarily heroin users use crack as well but crack is becoming increasingly popular as a primary drug.

Treatment
As with all stimulants, heavy use can lead to paranoia and agitation which may develop into a mental health problem. A treatment that is offered as part of community rehabilitation by many drug services is auricular (in the ear) acupuncture. It appears that it promotes relaxation and reduces the temptation to take crack cocaine.