Cocaine
Otherwise known as:-
Charlie, Snow, Coke, Sherbert, Charles, C.
What is it?
- Cocaine is a white, off white powder.
- It is a Class A drug.
- It is comes form the cocoa plant, but has no nutritional value at all.
- It is most commonly snorted, or it can be prepared for injecting.
- It Is around £40 a gram, but it is getting cheaper.
Effects
- The effects start very quickly: if snorted it lasts for about 30 – 45 mins or so, gives a feeling of elation and euphoria, confidence; makes you feel talkative, strong, and that you can do things better.
- It effects the chemicals in your brain and alters your mood
- It can take away the urge to eat or sleep.
- Cocaine increases breathing, heart rate + blood pressure, and heat builds in your body.
- Injecting Cocaine will give you a more intense hit, but the rush is a lot shorter than when it is snorted.
The Risks
- The come-down can make you feel tense, depressed, paranoid, aggressive and really knackered
- Cocaine can also make you irritable, aggressive, + panicky. The old story with stimulants, what goes up must come down. Coke uses up your body’s resources. .
- The more you use, the worse the comedown.
- Heavy use of coke can lead to malnutrition, heart problems, & damage to the nasal passages.
- Injecting can be really dangerous – sharing needles makes you vulnerable to blood-born diseases such as hepatitis and HIV
- It is possible to O.D on cocaine, a lethal dose is around a gram, depending on your body weight.
Harm Reduction
- Using it on a daily basis will make you more likely to develop a habbit.
- Snorting is safer than injecting.
- Injecting is a real bad idea, but if you do decide to inject, always use clean equipment and dont share your works with anyone else.
- Don’t use more to avoid a comedown, you will have to come down at some point anyway.
- It’s not a good idea to mix it with booze, as coke is a stimulant and booze is a depresant.
The law
- The maximum conviction for possessing coke is 7 years imprisonment and an unlimited fine.
- The maximum conviction for supplying/dealing is life imprisonment and an unlimited fine.
As with all offences, the sentence depends upon individual circumstances such as:
- Previous drug convictions
- The amount of coke
- The profits
- the person’s character
Crack
Otherwise known as:-
Rocks, Wash, Freebase
What is it?
- Crack is freebase cocaine.
- small off-white crystals or rocks.
- It is smoked, usually in a pipe or bong.
- It has the same effects as coke, but much more intense.
- Feeling of euphoria and extreme confidence.
Effects
Same as Coke but highly intensified, effects last 5 – 10 mins. Users may feel euphoric, stronger + more confident than ever before.
The risks
Crack is heavily addictive
- The come-down is a real crash, which makes users want to use more and more to stop them feeling so bad.
- A crack habit can be extremely expensive.
- Can lead to heart attack or stoke.
- Seriously bad for your lungs and can cause bronchitis.
Harm reduction
- Try not to use on a daily basis
- Use small amounts
- Avoid using tin cans as they can pollute your lungs and if you cut yourself you are at risk of catching blood borne viruses.
- Use your own pipe, keep it clean and don’t share it as you could be in danger of contracting Hepatitis C.
The Law
The same as cocaine : a Class A drug