Crack Cocaine Information

CRACK COCAINE
Base, pebbles, rock, stone, wash

What is it?
Small, irregularly-shaped lumps or ‘rocks’ made by mixing powder cocaine with a range of other ingredients.

How is it taken?
Heated and smoked in a pipe, or dissolved in water and injected.

Legal status
A Class A drug; maximum penalty for possession is seven years in prison, for dealing, life in prison and an unlimited fine – or both.

Effects
• Confidence and alertness
• Euphoria and exhilaration
• Increased heart rate
• Suppression of hunger and tiredness
• Numbing of pain
• Similar effects to cocaine but more intense and short lived

Risks
• Massive mood swings
• Paranoia and depression
• Tiredness
• Nausea
• Aggression
• Strong cravings for more, often leading to involvement in crime to fund the habit
• Infection by hepatitis or HIV/AIDS through sharing equipment

Crack cocaine gets its name from the ‘cracking’ sounds that a rock makes when it’s heated

Using crack cocaine with heroin can lead to coma and death