

First-time crack users experience euphoria so intense that many spend the rest of their lives chasing that feeling.

People addicted to crack cocaine often talk about how it took only one hit for the drug to take over their lives. Addiction develops when people continue to compulsively use crack despite negative consequences to their health and well-being.
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Increased tolerance and dependence are common precursors of drug addiction. Repeated use of crack cocaine changes the functioning of the brain, causing it to become dependent on the drug. The brain also develops tolerance to crack, causing individuals to use higher doses of the drug to feel positive effects and prevent crashing. This alters brain chemistry, leading crack users to develop intense cravings for the drug. Under the influence of crack cocaine, the cell is unable to reabsorb the dopamine, causing an influx of the neurotransmitter in the brain. The dopamine is then recycled back into its original cell. Under normal circumstances, neurons release dopamine as a response to potential rewards. Once it reaches the brain, crack cocaine works by increasing levels of dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. The effects are short-lived, but crack can stay in your system for several days. When the pleasurable effects of crack wear off, it results in a debilitating crash. The pleasurable effects of smoking crack last for only five to 10 minutes, causing users to smoke more to maintain the effects. Smoking crack brings a quicker and more powerful sense of euphoria than snorting cocaine, but the high from crack doesn’t last long. When users smoke crack, the drug enters the bloodstream through the lungs. The former is usually cheaper and more available than powdered cocaine.Ĭrack is the most dangerous form of cocaine. Several differences exist between crack and cocaine.
