Crack-cocaine is the modern version of a drug that has been around for millennia. Indigenous peoples have used coca leaves for over three thousand years. However, crack addiction became rampant as soon as the drug hit the streets. The intense effect of the drug, coupled with a very short-lived high, made addiction prevalent. Let’s learn some crack addiction facts and statistics to understand better how people can seek addiction treatment.
What is Crack?
Cocaine comes from the coca plant and is available in powder and rock forms. The rock presentation is what we all known as crack or crack cocaine. When people combine cocaine with water and other substances like baking soda, it turns into a solid form. Then, people break this into smaller pieces to sell on the streets as crack.
The name derives from the crackling sound it makes when people heat the drug to smoke it. Crack is highly concentrated, which makes it extremely addictive. Some people can even become dependent on crack after one use.
5 Interesting Facts About Crack Addiction You Should Know
Although crack use and addiction are not at its peak, the reality is that many people still abuse this street drug. As a cheaper alternative to cocaine, crack-cocaine can be more dangerous, potent, and possibly life-threatening. These are some crack addiction facts you should know to understand the issue better.
1. Crack is Very Cheap
Cocaine was becoming very popular. However, it was a bit expensive. Street dealers and illicit manufacturers saw an opportunity to breakdown cocaine and offer a more affordable version. By cutting cocaine with different substances, they create crack cocaine.
While crack cocaine sells for $10-15 for 1/10 grams, pure cocaine sells for $120-150 for ⅛ ounce. The difference is huge and for an addict who wants to maintain an active addiction, crack cocaine seems like a more affordable and long-term option to feed their dependency.
2. Effects Are Different from Cocaine
Not all forms of cocaine act the same; crack cocaine has very different effects, especially on the brain. Crack effects are immediate and only last about 5-10 minutes. Cocaine takes at least 5 minutes to kick in and depending on the administration, its effects last up to 60 minutes.
Because crack produces so quick results, people are more likely to binge or repeat its use to extend the high. Not to mention, they’re more likely to combine it with other drugs and substances like alcohol to experience a more intense sensation.
3. Cutting Agents Change Tremendously
One of the biggest dangers of crack cocaine is that users can ever know exactly what they’re taking. Most dealers use different cutting agents to dilute the drug and get the most out of it. These adulterants and cutting agents add volume and weight to the drug, so they can use less cocaine and still sell it for more. Plus, they often include substitutes that can enhance the effects of the drugs.
Cutting agents can be glucose, sucrose, talc, boric acid, inositol, Ritalin, procaine, benzocaine, and other substances such as inositol and lidocaine that can help dealers get better margins for their profits. However, these substances can cause adverse effects, especially because users have no clue they’re taking them.
4. One Use Can Rewire the Brain
Crack cocaine produces an intense high that’s short-lived. According to some studies, crack could effectively rewire the brain after a single-use. Crack abuse can start as soon as people ingest crack, it strikes its dopamine system, forcing the production of dopamine or feel-good hormone.
Then, this causes an instant effect of reward and pleasure, which rewires the brain to continue to crave for these feelings. Eventually, users turn back to crack or other substances in a desperate attempt to replicate those euphoric effects.
5. Increases Risky Behaviors
While many drugs lead to risky behaviors, crack in particular increases people’s tendencies towards violence. Because it intensifies emotional experiences, people who are high on crack can be violent towards others. They can even harm themselves intentionally or not. Not to mention, crack users are more likely to break the law and participate in robberies or other illegal activities that help them sustain their addiction.
Crack Addiction Statistics
From the moment crack cocaine reached the streets, it was an avalanche of addiction cases left and right. Most people were hopeless against the highly addictive effects of crack. These shocking crack addiction statistics prove how devastating this epidemic was and continues to evolve today.
- Cocaine remains the second most used drug in the United States.
- The 2006 US National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that 8.6 million Americans aged 12 and older reported having used crack.
- The 2007 US Government’s Monitoring the Future survey found that among high-school students, 3.2% of twelfth graders had used crack cocaine at some point in their lives.
- Crack cocaine represented 71% of all primary cocaine admissions to treatment in 2006.
- Over 97% of crack cocaine traffickers are United States citizens. Crack cocaine is a local problem.
- Cocaine addiction is slowing down. However, the decline is slow, however, with an estimated 821,000 Americans still addicted as of 2011.
Crack Addiction Treatment
Luckily, crack and cocaine addiction treatment options are widely available. Most of the time, someone will start with a detox program paired with partial hospitalization treatments to prevent severe withdrawal symptoms. Cocaine abuse or people who smoke crack need to seek treatment facilities to find the right path to recovery.
- Medical Detox: In this clinically supervised detox process at treatment centers, we ensure the patient’s safety and make the withdrawal phase as comfortable as possible by minimizing withdrawal symptoms and using medication-assisted treatment services to guarantee a complete detoxification process. Having medical advice is critical to managing cravings for the drugs, assess the long-term effects of the addiction, and control the physical and psychological symptoms of withdrawal.
- Dual Diagnosis Treatment: Since many long-term addicts often struggle with mental illness, a dual diagnosis program can get them the help needed to treat both conditions simultaneously.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Most of the time, these sorts of addictions develop due to compulsive behaviors that must be treated at the source, with CBT being one of the most popular evidence-based treatments to treat addiction. By addressing their behavioral health, addicts can move away from their addictive or impulsive behaviors.
- Intensive Outpatient Programs: When patients are looking to seek addiction treatment while maintaining daily obligations like work, school, or caregiving, IOPs are a more flexible option that still gives people access to the help they need. We incorporate support groups in our drug rehab programs to help people find the support network they need to recover.
- Long-term Recovery Programs: With long-term recovery assistance, patients can have the ongoing support they need to maintain long-lasting sobriety. Recovery programs are crucial to relapse prevention. Here the introduction of 12-step group meetings is also pivotal for recovery.
Get Help Today
If you or someone you love is struggling with substance abuse, don’t hesitate to call. Contact Lighthouse Recovery Institute and speak with one of our addiction specialists to learn more about our comprehensive and personalized addiction treatment programs. Living a drug-free life can be a phone call away.
