Crack is chemically altered cocaine and found as small, hard, white chunks.

Crack is a stimulant to the central nervous system and is deadlier than other forms of cocaine.

Crack is extremely addictive. Anyone using crack can become an addict in two to three weeks, and in some cases, people who try crack become instantly addicted the first time they use the drug.

Crack reaches the brain in less than 8 seconds and produces a"high" which peaks in 10-15 seconds and lasts only 15 minutes. This "high" is produced because crack tricks the brain into releasing chemicals that produce a false feeling of intense pleasure.

This "high" is immediately followed by an intense "low"

PHYSICAL EFFECTS

· chronic sore throat
· hoarseness
· shortness of breath
· bronchitis
· lung cancer
· emphysema and other lung damage
· respiratory problems such as congestion of the lungs, wheezing, and spitting up black phlegm
· burning of the lips, tongue, and throat
· slowed digestion
· weight loss
· high incidence of dependence
· blood vessel constriction
· increased blood pressure
· increased heart rate
· brain seizures that can result in suffocation
· dilated pupils
· sweating
· rise in blood sugar levels and body temperature
· disability from drug-induced health problems
· suppressed desire for food, sex, friends, family, and social contacts
· heart attack
· stroke
· death

EMOTIONAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS

· sadness and depression
· loss of interest in appearance
· loss of household valuables or unexplained vanishing cash due to the expense of the drug
· sleeplessness
· extreme paranoia
· intense craving of the drug
· schizophrenic-like psychosis with delusions and hallucinations

CRACK ADDICTION There are four stages which have been identified with crack addiction:

· intense feeling of stimulation
· followed by feelings of sadness and depression
· irritability, sleeplessness and paranoia
· schizophrenic-like psychosis with delusions and hallucinations

Because crack is so addictive, withdrawal symptoms may occur when a person is not using the drug.

WITHDRAWAL

· nausea
· paranoia
· intense craving of the drug
· physical problems

Although a person addicted to crack may experience withdrawal symptoms for a short time, the benefits to a person who stops using the drug greatly outweigh an addiction to crack.

These benefits include improved health and greater enjoyment of everyday activities.

CRACK AND PREGNANCY

· increased incidence of still births
· increased incidence of miscarriages
· premature (often fatal) labor and delivery
· in males, the cocaine in crack may attach to the sperm causing damage to the cells of the fetus.
· babies exposed to cocaine experience painful and life threatening withdrawal, are irritable, have poor ability to regulate their own body temperature and blood sugar and are at increased risk of having seizures.

EXTENT OF USE

The 1993 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse reported that:

· crack use is highest among young adults 18-25 years old
· a large percentage of people using crack are males between the ages of 20 and 30, but the problem is growing in younger age groups
· crack is used by people of all races and all socio-economic levels
· 1.8% of those surveyed reported using crack
· .5% reported using it in the last year
· .2% repotted using it in the past month
· 1.6% were white
· 2.0% were hispanic
· 3.4% were black

One in every 40 seniors (2.6%) have used crack. In 1993, 8th graders showed a softening of attitudes about crack.