Crack Cocaine
By: Jaylin Rahamatullah and Julia Kaliszewski
What Is Crack Cocaine?
Slang Terms
Effects And Dangers
-Some long term effects associated with crack cocaine are constricted blood vessels, increased temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure, and risk of cardiac arrest and seizure.
-Short term effects are much like alcohol; aggressive and paranoid behavior.
-Crack cocaine is very likely to be abused. When it is abused it causes extreme psychological AND physical dependence; so your body would literally NEED the drug to function.
Statistics
The duration of crack cocaine's effects depend on how often you do it. The high you get after it from snorting or sniffing powder may last 15 to 35 minutes.
When you smoke crack cocaine, a large quantity of it goes to your lungs these effects happen almost exactly after you have smoked it and are very intense they last 5 to 10 minutes.
In 2010, 23 percent of eighth graders, 32 percent of tenth graders, and 45 percent of twelfth graders reported that crack cocaine was “very easy” to obtain.
Drug associate personnel estimated that about 2,500 people try crack cocaine every day.
One out of four americans between the age of 26 and 34 have tried or used crack cocaine in their lifetime.
Today it is estimated that 22 million to 25 million people have tried it at least once.
In high schools in 2001, 8.2 percent of seniors admitted that they use crack cocaine.
Adults 18 to 25 currently have the highest percent using than any other age group.
Up to 75 percent of people who try crack cocaine become addicted.
Only one out of four people who try to stop using crack cocaine will be able to do so without medical help.
Cocaine is a 35 billion illicit industry now.
Each day up to 5,000 more people will experiment with crack cocaine.
Advice
- There are MANY slang terms for crack cocaine, so be sure to look out for them.
- Always remember that crack cocaine works much faster than regular cocaine. You get addicted faster, experience effects more extremely, experience short term effects faster, and experience long term effects faster.
- If you are ever in a situation with crack cocaine, remember that it will not only alter your body functions temporarily, but it will affect your whole life.
What should I do if I hear about kids in my school using drugs?
What is the difference between legal medicine and illegal drugs?
Sources
scholastic.com/drugs-and-your-body/index.htm
http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/prescription/stimulants.html
www.drugpolicy.org/drug-facts/cocaine-and-crack-facts
www.drugabuse.gov/publicans/drugfacts/cocaine
chemistry.about.com/od/drugs/a/crackcoccainefaq.htm