What’s the Difference Between Crack and Cocaine?

Key Differences

Crack and its predecessor cocaine are quite different despite some telltale characteristics of relation. The following are a few key distinctions between the two drugs:

Chemical Composition and Structure

Crack and cocaine technically share the same chemical composition at their core. The primary difference is that the white powder we know as cocaine is a salt known as cocaine hydrochloride, while crack is a molecular crystalline form of the pure cocaine base.

Production Process

Cocaine is produced from the leaves of the South American coca tree. Coca leaves are dried and processed through a series of chemical reactions until the cocaine base is produced. After additional purification, hydrochloric acid is added to produce solid cocaine hydrochloride. Crack is commonly produced by adding a bicarbonate like baking soda to powdered cocaine and “cooking” it until the cocaine base precipitates out in solid chunks or “rocks.”

Methods of Use

Cocaine is typically used by snorting the powder nasally, ingesting it orally, or dissolving and injecting it intravenously. Crack, on the other hand, is a solid intended to be smoked in a crack pipe. Powdered cocaine cannot be smoked in this way, as most of the cocaine would be destroyed by the direct heat.

Severity of Danger

Both substances are dangerous, but the strong base content of crack makes it especially addictive. The fact that crack is smoked also means the impact is quick and there may be long-term lung damage. On the other hand, powdered cocaine presents its own dangers. At present, crack is commonly considered to be a higher-risk substance than cocaine, but the question of which is more dangerous is still subjective.

Addicted Individuals

Although anyone can become addicted to crack or cocaine, there does seem to be a clear disparity between those who most often use cocaine and those who most often use crack. Generally, powdered cocaine use tends to be more common in financially stable and affluent communities while crack use tends to be more common in low-income communities and areas of poverty.