Crack Slang

Crack is a slang word that refers to crack cocaine -a drug that is derived from cocaine and is illegal, has a high potential for addiction and dependence, and poses high risks of severe consequences. In order to better understand what crack is and how it is different from cocaine, it is necessary to know what each substance is and how they are produced and administered.

Cocaine is an illegal stimulant drug that is usually in a powder form that is snorted, and is sometimes injected. Because of its high melting point, it cannot be smoked. However, cocaine can be modified to rid it of its hydrochloride additive. This process results in a drug that is nearly 100 percent pure -at which point it is called “freebase cocaine.” Freebase has a low melting point and is not water soluble, making it possible to smoke it.

Crack cocaine is made from cocaine in its powder form. Using baking soda and heat, a waxy, rock-like substance is extracted from the cocaine powder and the resulting product is a substance that can be heated and inhaled.

Crack came about as a way to provide a less expensive product to meet the growing demand for cocaine that emerged in the 1970s and 1980s -over five decades after cocaine was made illegal and its use had greatly dwindled. The resurgence of interest came from people of all backgrounds and with the new form of crack cocaine, the price was reduced to the point that almost anyone could afford to purchase it.