One of the processes to make cocaine base involves using ether as a solvent. The risk of cocaine addiction is higher when smoked, but it also has unique side effects. Smoking cocaine base has some unique dangers that do not happen when one snorts the drug. Since smokable cocaine has a higher chance of addiction, these effects are more like than if someone uses cocaine hydrochloride. Addiction causes negative impacts on health, finances, relationships, and occupation. The heightened addiction potential of cocaine base versus cocaine hydrochloride can also increase harm in indirect ways. In addition to the effects of the drug itself, smoking cocaine will cause extra damage to the lungs, sinus, and oral tissue. Smoking cocaine will cause effects similar to snorting or injecting it. See Related: Can you put cocaine in a blunt? Effects of Smoking Cocaine Naphthalene (cigarette) lighters are used to smoke crack. At these temperatures, the heat will break down and destroy cocaine.Ĭocaine base is usually smoked in pipes made of metal or glass. In contrast, cocaine hydrochloride must be heated to 180 ☌ (356 ☏) to vaporize. Cocaine base (i.e., freebase cocaine) vaporizes at about 80 ☌ (176 ☏). To smoke cocaine, it must be in the correct form. These differences help explain why studies show smoking cocaine base as more addictive than cocaine hydrochloride. This time difference appears to be critical to the development of addiction. So the differences between “blow” and “crack” are only how long each takes to start working. Only about 20-60% is absorbed from snorting cocaine hydrochloride. More of cocaine base is absorbed with each dose - about 70%.Cocaine base peaks in three minutes, where it takes cocaine hydrochloride fourteen minutes to do the same. Cocaine base reaches the brain faster than cocaine hydrochloride - a few seconds compared to between one and five minutes.That said, the route of delivery makes a difference.Ĭocaine base is more addictive than cocaine hydrochloride, and there are two reasons for this: Once in the body, both impact the brain and body the same. Street names for cocaine hydrochloride are “blow,” “snow,” “nose candy,” or “yayo.”ĭespite common myths, cocaine base ( crack) and cocaine hydrochloride (coke) is the same drug. Cocaine hydrochloride can be snorted or dissolved into a liquid for injection, but its boiling point is too high for smoking. The smokable form is “cocaine base” and has a low melting point that allows it to be smoked.Ĭocaine base is commonly known as “crack,” or “rock.”Ĭocaine hydrochloride is the chemical name of the form that cannot be smoked. Cocaine has two main forms, and one of them is smokable.

Smoking cocaine on aluminum foil