Contents. Physical and chemical properties In purer forms, crack rocks appear as off-white nuggets with jagged edges, with a slightly higher density than candle wax. Purer forms of crack resemble a hard brittle plastic, in crystalline form (snaps when broken).
A crack rock acts as a (see: ), numbing the tongue or mouth only where directly placed. Purer forms of crack will sink in water or melt at the edges when near a flame (crack vaporizes at 90 °C, 194 °F).
Crack cocaine as sold on the streets may be or 'cut' with other substances mimicking the appearance of crack cocaine to increase bulk. Use of toxic adulterants such as has been documented. A close up of the 'cooking' process that creates crack.
(NaHCO 3, common baking soda) is a base used in preparation of crack, although other may substitute for it. The net reaction when using sodium bicarbonate is Coc-H +Cl − + NaHCO 3 → Coc + H 2O + CO 2 + NaCl With: Coc-H +Cl − + NH 4HCO 3 → Coc + + CO 2 + H 2O With: 2(Coc-H +Cl −) + (NH 4) 2CO 3 → 2 Coc + 2 NH 4Cl + CO 2 + H 2O Crack cocaine is frequently purchased already in rock form, although it is not uncommon for some users to 'wash up' or 'cook' powder cocaine into crack themselves. This process is frequently done with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), water, and a spoon. Once mixed and heated, the bicarbonate reacts with the hydrochloride of the powder cocaine, forming free base cocaine and (H 2CO 3) in a reversible acid-base reaction. The heating accelerates the degradation of carbonic acid into (CO 2) and water. Loss of CO 2 prevents the reaction from reversing back to cocaine hydrochloride. Free base cocaine separates as an oily layer, floating on the top of the now leftover aqueous phase.
It is at this point that the oil is picked up rapidly, usually with a pin or long thin object. This pulls the oil up and spins it, allowing air to set and dry the oil, and allows the maker to roll the oil into the rock-like shape. Crack vaporizes near temperature 90 °C (194 °F), much lower than the cocaine hydrochloride melting point of 190 °C (374 °F). Whereas cocaine hydrochloride cannot be smoked (burns with no effect), crack cocaine when smoked allows for quick absorption into the blood stream, and reaches the brain in 8 seconds. Crack cocaine can also be injected intravenously with the same effect as powder cocaine.
However, whereas powder cocaine dissolves in water, crack must be dissolved in an acidic solution such as lemon juice or white vinegar, a process that effectively reverses the original conversion of powder cocaine to crack. Recreational use. A woman smoking crack cocaine. Crack cocaine is commonly used as a recreational drug. Effects of crack cocaine include, supreme confidence, loss of appetite, alertness, increased energy, a craving for more cocaine, and potential paranoia (ending after use).
Its initial effect is to release a large amount of, a brain chemical inducing feelings of. The high usually lasts from 5–10 minutes, after which time dopamine levels in the brain plummet, leaving the user feeling and low. When (powder) cocaine is dissolved and, the absorption into the bloodstream is at least as rapid as the absorption of the drug which occurs when crack cocaine is smoked, and similar may be experienced. Main physiological effects of crack cocaine The short-term physiological effects of cocaine include constricted blood vessels, and increased temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. Some users of cocaine report feelings of restlessness, irritability, and anxiety. In rare instances, sudden death can occur on the first use of cocaine or unexpectedly thereafter. Cocaine-related deaths are often a result of or seizures followed by respiratory arrest.
Like other forms of cocaine, smoking crack can increase heart rate and blood pressure, leading to long-term cardiovascular problems. Some research suggests that smoking crack or freebase cocaine has additional health risks compared to other methods of taking cocaine. Many of these issues relate specifically to the release of and its effect on the heart, lungs, and liver. Toxic: Many substances may have been added in order to expand the weight and volume of a batch, while still appearing to be pure crack. Occasionally, highly toxic substances are used, with a range of corresponding short and long-term health risks. Adulturants used with crack and cocaine include, sugars such as, and.
Smoking problems: Any poses its own set of health risks; in the case of crack cocaine, smoking tends to be more harmful than other routes. Crack users tend to smoke the drug because that has a higher than other routes typically used for drugs of abuse such as. Crack has a melting point of around 90 °C (194 °F), and the smoke does not remain potent for long. Therefore, crack pipes are generally very short, to minimize the time between evaporating and ingestion (thereby minimizing loss of potency). Having a very hot pipe pressed against the lips often causes cracked and blistered lips, colloquially known as 'crack lip'.
The use of 'convenience store crack pipes' - glass tubes which originally contained small - may contribute to this condition. These 4-inch (10-cm) pipes are not durable and will quickly develop breaks; users may continue to use the pipe even though it has been broken to a shorter length. The hot pipe might burn the lips, tongue, or fingers, especially when passed between people who take hits in rapid succession, causing the short pipe to reach higher temperatures than if used by one person alone. Pure or large doses: Because the quality of crack can vary greatly, some people might smoke larger amounts of diluted crack, unaware that a similar amount of a new batch of purer crack could cause an overdose. This can trigger heart problems or cause unconsciousness.
Pathogens on pipes: When pipes are shared, bacteria or viruses can be transferred from person to person. Crack lung In crack users, acute respiratory symptoms have been reported, sometimes termed crack lung. Symptoms include fever, hemoptysis and difficulty breathing. In the 48-hour period after use, people with these symptoms have also had associated radiographic findings on chest xray of, and infiltration. Psychological Stimulant drug abuse (particularly and cocaine) can lead to (aka Ekbom's Syndrome: a mistaken belief they are infested with parasites).
For example, excessive cocaine use can lead to, nicknamed 'cocaine bugs' or 'coke bugs', where the affected people believe they have, or feel, parasites crawling under their skin. (Similar delusions may also be associated with high fever or in connection with alcohol withdrawal, sometimes accompanied by visual hallucinations of insects.) People experiencing these hallucinations might scratch themselves to the extent of serious skin damage and bleeding, especially when they are delirious.
Paranoia and anxiety are among the most common psychological symptoms of crack cocaine use. Psychosis is more closely associated with smoking crack cocaine than intranasal and intravenous use.
Pregnancy and nursing. Main article: 'Crack baby' is a term for a child born to a mother who used crack cocaine during her pregnancy.
The threat that cocaine use during poses to the is now considered exaggerated. Studies show that prenatal cocaine exposure (independent of other effects such as, for example, alcohol, tobacco, or physical environment) has no appreciable effect on childhood growth and development. However, the official opinion of the of the United States warns about health risks while cautioning against stereotyping: Many recall that 'crack babies', or babies born to mothers who used crack cocaine while pregnant, were at one time written off by many as a lost generation. They were predicted to suffer from severe, irreversible damage, including reduced intelligence and social skills. It was later found that this was a gross exaggeration. However, the fact that most of these children appear normal should not be over-interpreted as indicating that there is no cause for concern.
Using sophisticated technologies, scientists are now finding that exposure to cocaine during fetal development may lead to subtle, yet significant, later deficits in some children, including deficits in some aspects of cognitive performance, information-processing, and attention to tasks—abilities that are important for success in school. There are also warnings about the threat of: 'It is likely that cocaine will reach the baby through breast milk.' The advises the following regarding cocaine use during pregnancy: Cocaine use during pregnancy can affect a pregnant woman and her unborn baby in many ways. During the early months of pregnancy, it may increase the risk of miscarriage. Later in pregnancy, it can trigger preterm labor (labor that occurs before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or cause the baby to grow poorly. As a result, cocaine-exposed babies are more likely than unexposed babies to be born with low birthweight (less than 5.5 lb or 2.5 kg).
Low-birthweight babies are 20 times more likely to die in their first month of life than normal-weight babies, and face an increased risk of lifelong disabilities such as mental retardation and cerebral palsy. Cocaine-exposed babies also tend to have smaller heads, which generally reflect smaller brains. Some studies suggest that cocaine-exposed babies are at increased risk of birth defects, including urinary-tract defects and, possibly, heart defects. Cocaine also may cause an unborn baby to have a stroke, irreversible brain damage, or a heart attack. Reinforcement disorders Tolerance An appreciable tolerance to cocaine’s high may develop, with many addicts reporting that they seek but fail to achieve as much pleasure as they did from their first experience. Some users will frequently increase their doses to intensify and prolong the euphoric effects. While tolerance to the high can occur, users might also become more sensitive to cocaine's local anesthetic (pain killing) and convulsant (seizure inducing) effects, without increasing the dose taken; this increased sensitivity may explain some deaths occurring after apparent low doses of cocaine.
Main article: Crack cocaine is popularly thought to be the most addictive form of cocaine. However, this claim has been contested: Morgan and Zimmer wrote that available data indicated that '.smoking cocaine by itself does not increase markedly the likelihood of dependence. The claim that cocaine is much more addictive when smoked must be reexamined.'
They argued that cocaine users who are already prone to abuse are most likely to 'move toward a more efficient mode of ingestion' (that is, smoking). The intense desire to recapture the initial high is what is so addictive for many users. On the other hand, Reinarman et al. Wrote that the nature of crack addiction depends on the social context in which it is used and the psychological characteristics of users, pointing out that many heavy crack users can go for days or weeks without using the drugs. Overdose A typical response among users is to have another hit of the drug; however, the levels of in the brain take a long time to replenish themselves, and each hit taken in rapid succession leads to progressively less intense highs. However, a person might binge for 3 or more days without sleep, while inhaling hits from the pipe. Use of cocaine in a binge, during which the drug is taken repeatedly and at increasingly high doses, leads to a state of increasing irritability, restlessness, and.
This may result in a full-blown paranoid psychosis, in which the individual loses touch with reality and experiences auditory hallucinations. Large amounts of crack cocaine (several hundred milligrams or more) intensify the user's high, but may also lead to bizarre, erratic, and violent behavior. Large amounts can induce tremors, muscle twitches, or, with repeated doses, a toxic reaction closely resembling poisoning. Anti-crack poster Cocaine is listed as a drug in the United Nations 1961, making it illegal for non-state-sanctioned production, manufacture, export, import, distribution, trade, use and possession. In most states (except in the U.S.) crack falls under the same category as. Australia In Australia, crack falls under the same category as cocaine, which is listed as a, indicating that any substances and preparations for therapeutic use under this category have high potential for abuse and addiction. It is permitted for some medical use, but is otherwise outlawed.
Canada As a under the, crack is not differentiated from cocaine and other products. However, the court may weigh the socio-economic factors of crack usage in sentencing. As a guideline, Schedule I drugs carry a maximum 7-year prison sentence for possession for an and up to life imprisonment for trafficking and production.
A on possession carries a $1000–$2000 fine and/or 6 months to a year imprisonment. United States In the United States, cocaine is a drug under the, indicating that it has a high abuse potential but also carries a medicinal purpose. Under the Controlled Substances Act, crack and cocaine are considered the same drug. The increased penalties for crack cocaine possession and usage. It mandated a of five years without for possession of five grams of crack; to receive the same sentence with powder cocaine one had to have 500 grams.
This sentencing disparity was reduced from 100-to-1 to 18-to-1 by the of 2010. Europe In the United Kingdom, crack is a under the. In the it is a List 1 drug of the.
Contents. Physical and chemical properties In purer forms, crack rocks appear as off-white nuggets with jagged edges, with a slightly higher density than candle wax. Purer forms of crack resemble a hard brittle plastic, in crystalline form (snaps when broken). A crack rock acts as a (see: ), numbing the tongue or mouth only where directly placed. Purer forms of crack will sink in water or melt at the edges when near a flame (crack vaporizes at 90 °C, 194 °F). Crack cocaine as sold on the streets may be or 'cut' with other substances mimicking the appearance of crack cocaine to increase bulk. Use of toxic adulterants such as has been documented.
Making Crack With Salt
A close up of the 'cooking' process that creates crack. (NaHCO 3, common baking soda) is a base used in preparation of crack, although other may substitute for it.
The net reaction when using sodium bicarbonate is Coc-H +Cl − + NaHCO 3 → Coc + H 2O + CO 2 + NaCl With: Coc-H +Cl − + NH 4HCO 3 → Coc + + CO 2 + H 2O With: 2(Coc-H +Cl −) + (NH 4) 2CO 3 → 2 Coc + 2 NH 4Cl + CO 2 + H 2O Crack cocaine is frequently purchased already in rock form, although it is not uncommon for some users to 'wash up' or 'cook' powder cocaine into crack themselves. This process is frequently done with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), water, and a spoon. Once mixed and heated, the bicarbonate reacts with the hydrochloride of the powder cocaine, forming free base cocaine and (H 2CO 3) in a reversible acid-base reaction. The heating accelerates the degradation of carbonic acid into (CO 2) and water. Loss of CO 2 prevents the reaction from reversing back to cocaine hydrochloride. Free base cocaine separates as an oily layer, floating on the top of the now leftover aqueous phase.
It is at this point that the oil is picked up rapidly, usually with a pin or long thin object. This pulls the oil up and spins it, allowing air to set and dry the oil, and allows the maker to roll the oil into the rock-like shape. Crack vaporizes near temperature 90 °C (194 °F), much lower than the cocaine hydrochloride melting point of 190 °C (374 °F). Whereas cocaine hydrochloride cannot be smoked (burns with no effect), crack cocaine when smoked allows for quick absorption into the blood stream, and reaches the brain in 8 seconds. Crack cocaine can also be injected intravenously with the same effect as powder cocaine. However, whereas powder cocaine dissolves in water, crack must be dissolved in an acidic solution such as lemon juice or white vinegar, a process that effectively reverses the original conversion of powder cocaine to crack. Recreational use.
A woman smoking crack cocaine. Crack cocaine is commonly used as a recreational drug. Effects of crack cocaine include, supreme confidence, loss of appetite, alertness, increased energy, a craving for more cocaine, and potential paranoia (ending after use). Its initial effect is to release a large amount of, a brain chemical inducing feelings of. The high usually lasts from 5–10 minutes, after which time dopamine levels in the brain plummet, leaving the user feeling and low. When (powder) cocaine is dissolved and, the absorption into the bloodstream is at least as rapid as the absorption of the drug which occurs when crack cocaine is smoked, and similar may be experienced.
Main physiological effects of crack cocaine The short-term physiological effects of cocaine include constricted blood vessels, and increased temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. Some users of cocaine report feelings of restlessness, irritability, and anxiety.
In rare instances, sudden death can occur on the first use of cocaine or unexpectedly thereafter. Cocaine-related deaths are often a result of or seizures followed by respiratory arrest.
Like other forms of cocaine, smoking crack can increase heart rate and blood pressure, leading to long-term cardiovascular problems. Some research suggests that smoking crack or freebase cocaine has additional health risks compared to other methods of taking cocaine. Many of these issues relate specifically to the release of and its effect on the heart, lungs, and liver. Toxic: Many substances may have been added in order to expand the weight and volume of a batch, while still appearing to be pure crack.
Occasionally, highly toxic substances are used, with a range of corresponding short and long-term health risks. Adulturants used with crack and cocaine include, sugars such as, and. Smoking problems: Any poses its own set of health risks; in the case of crack cocaine, smoking tends to be more harmful than other routes.
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Crack users tend to smoke the drug because that has a higher than other routes typically used for drugs of abuse such as. Crack has a melting point of around 90 °C (194 °F), and the smoke does not remain potent for long. Therefore, crack pipes are generally very short, to minimize the time between evaporating and ingestion (thereby minimizing loss of potency). Having a very hot pipe pressed against the lips often causes cracked and blistered lips, colloquially known as 'crack lip'. The use of 'convenience store crack pipes' - glass tubes which originally contained small - may contribute to this condition.
These 4-inch (10-cm) pipes are not durable and will quickly develop breaks; users may continue to use the pipe even though it has been broken to a shorter length. The hot pipe might burn the lips, tongue, or fingers, especially when passed between people who take hits in rapid succession, causing the short pipe to reach higher temperatures than if used by one person alone. Pure or large doses: Because the quality of crack can vary greatly, some people might smoke larger amounts of diluted crack, unaware that a similar amount of a new batch of purer crack could cause an overdose. This can trigger heart problems or cause unconsciousness. Pathogens on pipes: When pipes are shared, bacteria or viruses can be transferred from person to person. Crack lung In crack users, acute respiratory symptoms have been reported, sometimes termed crack lung.
Symptoms include fever, hemoptysis and difficulty breathing. In the 48-hour period after use, people with these symptoms have also had associated radiographic findings on chest xray of, and infiltration. Psychological Stimulant drug abuse (particularly and cocaine) can lead to (aka Ekbom's Syndrome: a mistaken belief they are infested with parasites). For example, excessive cocaine use can lead to, nicknamed 'cocaine bugs' or 'coke bugs', where the affected people believe they have, or feel, parasites crawling under their skin. (Similar delusions may also be associated with high fever or in connection with alcohol withdrawal, sometimes accompanied by visual hallucinations of insects.) People experiencing these hallucinations might scratch themselves to the extent of serious skin damage and bleeding, especially when they are delirious.
Paranoia and anxiety are among the most common psychological symptoms of crack cocaine use. Psychosis is more closely associated with smoking crack cocaine than intranasal and intravenous use. Pregnancy and nursing. Main article: 'Crack baby' is a term for a child born to a mother who used crack cocaine during her pregnancy. The threat that cocaine use during poses to the is now considered exaggerated. Studies show that prenatal cocaine exposure (independent of other effects such as, for example, alcohol, tobacco, or physical environment) has no appreciable effect on childhood growth and development.
Levamisole Hydrochloride For Sale
However, the official opinion of the of the United States warns about health risks while cautioning against stereotyping: Many recall that 'crack babies', or babies born to mothers who used crack cocaine while pregnant, were at one time written off by many as a lost generation. They were predicted to suffer from severe, irreversible damage, including reduced intelligence and social skills. It was later found that this was a gross exaggeration.
However, the fact that most of these children appear normal should not be over-interpreted as indicating that there is no cause for concern. Using sophisticated technologies, scientists are now finding that exposure to cocaine during fetal development may lead to subtle, yet significant, later deficits in some children, including deficits in some aspects of cognitive performance, information-processing, and attention to tasks—abilities that are important for success in school. There are also warnings about the threat of: 'It is likely that cocaine will reach the baby through breast milk.' The advises the following regarding cocaine use during pregnancy: Cocaine use during pregnancy can affect a pregnant woman and her unborn baby in many ways. During the early months of pregnancy, it may increase the risk of miscarriage.
Later in pregnancy, it can trigger preterm labor (labor that occurs before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or cause the baby to grow poorly. As a result, cocaine-exposed babies are more likely than unexposed babies to be born with low birthweight (less than 5.5 lb or 2.5 kg). Low-birthweight babies are 20 times more likely to die in their first month of life than normal-weight babies, and face an increased risk of lifelong disabilities such as mental retardation and cerebral palsy. Cocaine-exposed babies also tend to have smaller heads, which generally reflect smaller brains. Some studies suggest that cocaine-exposed babies are at increased risk of birth defects, including urinary-tract defects and, possibly, heart defects. Cocaine also may cause an unborn baby to have a stroke, irreversible brain damage, or a heart attack. Reinforcement disorders Tolerance An appreciable tolerance to cocaine’s high may develop, with many addicts reporting that they seek but fail to achieve as much pleasure as they did from their first experience.
Some users will frequently increase their doses to intensify and prolong the euphoric effects. While tolerance to the high can occur, users might also become more sensitive to cocaine's local anesthetic (pain killing) and convulsant (seizure inducing) effects, without increasing the dose taken; this increased sensitivity may explain some deaths occurring after apparent low doses of cocaine. Main article: Crack cocaine is popularly thought to be the most addictive form of cocaine. However, this claim has been contested: Morgan and Zimmer wrote that available data indicated that '.smoking cocaine by itself does not increase markedly the likelihood of dependence. The claim that cocaine is much more addictive when smoked must be reexamined.'
They argued that cocaine users who are already prone to abuse are most likely to 'move toward a more efficient mode of ingestion' (that is, smoking). The intense desire to recapture the initial high is what is so addictive for many users. On the other hand, Reinarman et al. Wrote that the nature of crack addiction depends on the social context in which it is used and the psychological characteristics of users, pointing out that many heavy crack users can go for days or weeks without using the drugs. Overdose A typical response among users is to have another hit of the drug; however, the levels of in the brain take a long time to replenish themselves, and each hit taken in rapid succession leads to progressively less intense highs. However, a person might binge for 3 or more days without sleep, while inhaling hits from the pipe. Use of cocaine in a binge, during which the drug is taken repeatedly and at increasingly high doses, leads to a state of increasing irritability, restlessness, and.
This may result in a full-blown paranoid psychosis, in which the individual loses touch with reality and experiences auditory hallucinations. Large amounts of crack cocaine (several hundred milligrams or more) intensify the user's high, but may also lead to bizarre, erratic, and violent behavior. Large amounts can induce tremors, muscle twitches, or, with repeated doses, a toxic reaction closely resembling poisoning. Anti-crack poster Cocaine is listed as a drug in the United Nations 1961, making it illegal for non-state-sanctioned production, manufacture, export, import, distribution, trade, use and possession. In most states (except in the U.S.) crack falls under the same category as.
Australia In Australia, crack falls under the same category as cocaine, which is listed as a, indicating that any substances and preparations for therapeutic use under this category have high potential for abuse and addiction. It is permitted for some medical use, but is otherwise outlawed. Canada As a under the, crack is not differentiated from cocaine and other products. However, the court may weigh the socio-economic factors of crack usage in sentencing. As a guideline, Schedule I drugs carry a maximum 7-year prison sentence for possession for an and up to life imprisonment for trafficking and production. A on possession carries a $1000–$2000 fine and/or 6 months to a year imprisonment. United States In the United States, cocaine is a drug under the, indicating that it has a high abuse potential but also carries a medicinal purpose.
Under the Controlled Substances Act, crack and cocaine are considered the same drug. The increased penalties for crack cocaine possession and usage. It mandated a of five years without for possession of five grams of crack; to receive the same sentence with powder cocaine one had to have 500 grams. This sentencing disparity was reduced from 100-to-1 to 18-to-1 by the of 2010. Europe In the United Kingdom, crack is a under the. In the it is a List 1 drug of the.
(levamisole hydrochloride) Soluble Drench Powder Anthelmintic Each packet contains 46.8 grams of levamisole hydrochloride activity. FOR ORAL USE IN CATTLE AND SHEEP Administer as a standard drench with standard drench syringe or administer as a concentrated drench solution with an automatic drenching syringe. RECOMMENDATIONS: Prohibit (levamisole hydrochloride) is a broad-spectrum anthelmintic and is effective against the following nematode infections in cattle and sheep: STOMACH WORMS: (Haemonchus, Trichostrongylus, Ostertagia) INTESTINAL WORMS: (Trichostrongylus, Cooperia, Nematodirus, Bunostomum, Oesophagostomum) Chabertia - Sheep LUNGWORMS: (Dictyocaulus) FOR ANIMAL USE ONLY KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN Restricted Drug (California)Use Only As Directed ANADA 200-255, Approved by FDA.
CATTLE - STANDARD DRENCH SOLUTION-Place the contents of this packet in a 1 quart (32 fl. Oz.) container, fill with water, swirl until dissolved. Administer as a single drench dose according to the following table: Weight Drench Dosage Packet Will Treat 200 lb. 64 head 400 lb.
32 head 600 lb. 21 head 800 lb. 16 head CONCENTRATED DRENCH SOLUTION-For use with automatic syringe. Place the contents of this packet in a standard household measuring container and add water to the 8 3/4 fl. Level; or use the measuring container available from your supplier and add water to the mark.
Swirl until dissolved. Give 2 mL (milliliter) per 100 lb. Refer to the table above for the number of cattle this packet will treat. SHEEP-STANDARD DRENCH SOLUTION-Place the contents of this packet in a 1 gallon (128 fl. Oz.) container, fill with water, swirl until dissolved. Administer as a single drench dose according to the following table: Weight Drench Dosage Packet Will Treat 50 lb.
256 head 100 lb. 128 head 150 lb. 84 head 200 lb. 64 head CONCENTRATED DRENCH SOLUTION-For use with automatic syringe. Place the contents of this packet in a standard household measuring container and add water to the 17 1/2 fl. Swirl until dissolved.
Give 2 mL per 50 lb. Refer to the table above for the number of sheep this packet will treat.
NOTE: Careful weight estimates are essential for proper performance of this product. Prepare solutions as needed. However, excess solutions may be stored in clean closed containers up to 90 days without loss of anthelmintic activity. Cattle and Sheep maintained under conditions of constant helminth exposure may require re-treatment within two to four weeks after the first treatment. To receive this label RSS feed Copy the URL below and paste it into your RSS Reader application. To receive all DailyMed Updates for the last seven days Copy the URL below and paste it into your RSS Reader application. What will I get with the DailyMed RSS feed?
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Coming initially from the coca plant found primarily in South America, cocaine is synthesized into a white powder or a crystal form, called “crack,” to be used recreationally for an intense euphoric “high.” Cocaine is extracted from the coca plant leaves through a process that uses highly toxic chemicals, like gasoline for instance, which puts its purity level at about 50 percent right off the bat, the publishes. The resulting cocaine hydrochloride power is then formed into bricks or dissolved in another potential toxin, such as acetone and/or hydrochloric acid, and heated to form the crystallized crack form. Cocaine production and distribution is a big business, and drug manufacturers and dealers often “cut” the drug with other cheaper agents in order to stretch the product out or to enhance its effects. In recent years, cocaine production has fallen globally, decreasing its availability within the United States, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) reported in the This decreased availability and production of the drug may make it more likely that producers and distributors will add adulterants, or additives, to the product in order to make it go further or to “bulk” it up. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC) publishes the, which indicated in 2010 that the average cocaine purity on the street was around 50 percent.
Actual purity of the drug can fluctuate greatly, but this is an average based on cocaine seizures around the world that year. The (NHTSA) published that cocaine powder purity on the street typically ranges from 20 to 95 percent while crack cocaine generally ranges in purity from 20 to 80 percent on the street. This variation in purity and uncertainty in what is added to cocaine makes it a highly dangerous drug with unpredictable side effects. Differentiating Pure Cocaine from Additives Cutting agents used in cocaine may be based on their effects, on their appearance (visual similarity to actual cocaine), or both.
Cocaine is a stimulant drug with local anesthetic properties. It increases dopamine levels in the brain and causes a rapid and short-lived burst of pleasure.
It is also expensive and may be difficult to get. Other products or chemicals that are easier to obtain and have similar pharmacological or local numbing properties may then be used as cutting agents. It can be difficult to tell if cocaine is “pure” and what else may be in it. Pure cocaine is said to have a distinguishable scent, but this may only be recognizable by someone who has smelled a lot of cocaine in its purist form.
Another way people attempt to test the purity of cocaine is the “ burn test” wherein a small sample is heated on foil to check the residue. Pure cocaine doesn’t leave much behind, while many adulterants will leave a red, brown, or black stain. The “bleach test” can also be done to check purity levels of cocaine by dissolving some of it in bleach and looking at the resulting liquid. Both of these methods require a trained eye, however, and neither are foolproof, as many cutting agents will not leave a trace either. LSD Other things may also be added to cocaine to augment the high, although it may not be clear how or why they are used. Phenytoin (PHT) is an anticonvulsant drug used to treat epilepsy that is sometimes also found in cocaine, for example, West JEM reports.
Pain medications like phenacetin may also be used as a cocaine additive, the (CPH) publishes. Another drug rarely used in humans these days but potentially used to enhance the cocaine high, CPD reports, is levamisole, a medication designed to get rid of parasitic worms.
It is most commonly used in veterinary practice these days. Other toxins, chemicals, household products, drugs, or pharmaceutical products may also be used to cut cocaine. An individual can never be certain what is in the dose they are buying and/or taking. This makes cocaine a particularly dangerous drug as the additives, or cutting agents, may interact with the body in an unpredictable and unknown manner with potentially toxic results. Cocaine abuse led to the most emergency department (ED) visits for an illicit drug in 2011, as over a half-million Americans sought medical treatment for an adverse reaction to the drug, the (DAWN) reports. This accounts for 40 percent of all ED visits involving an illicit drug that year.