Cocaine smoking

Foltin RW, Ward AS, Haney M, et al The effects of escalating doses of smoked cocaine in humans. Drug Alcohol Depend 70 149—157, 2003... 

Cosgrove K., Carroll M. Effects of bremazocine on self-administration of smoked cocaine base and orally delivered ethanol, phencyclidine, saccharin, and food in rhesus monkeys a behavioral economic analysis. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 301 Jun 2002, 2002. 

The extraction process can be performed in acidic conditions which produces the cocaine as its hydrochloride salt. Alkaline conditions will produce a lipophilic "free base" which can be extracted with a nonpolar solvent like ether. The ether can be volatilized with heat and the free base smoked, snorted, injected, or eaten. The salt form cannot be smoked. Cocaine paste, not common in the U.S. is a kerosene extract which may contain 20-90% cocaine sulfate. Crack is the result of free-basing with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). The residual fillers and other impurities... 

Not all users of cocaine become addicts. A key factor is the widespread availability of relatively inexpensive cocaine in the alkaloidal (free base, crack ) form suitable for smoking and the hydrochloride powder form suitable for nasal or intravenous use. Drug abuse in males occurs about twice as frequently as in females. However, smoked cocaine use is particularly common in young women of childbearing age, who may use cocaine in this manner as commonly as do males. 

Powder cocaine and coca leaves cannot be smoked. The heat required to smoke these forms of cocaine destroys its psychoactive properties. In order to smoke cocaine, it must be changed to a free-base form. In South America, the most common free base is coca paste. In the West, people smoke crack, and to a much lesser extent, free base made with ether. The free base or crack is put into a glass pipe, heated, and the vapors are inhaled. 

Although there are some users who take cocaine occasionally and never increase their use of the drug, many others become hooked. They go on binges called runs, during which they inject, snort, or smoke cocaine sometimes as frequently as every ten minutes in order to stay on a constant high, using up tremendous amounts of energy. 

A 40-year-old man with cough, shortness of breath, and fever progressed to respiratory failure. He had smoked cocaine for the previous 17 years. His tobacco history was not known. His medical history included recurrent respiratory tract infections. A chest X-ray and CT scan showed findings consistent with bilateral bullous emphysema with a right lung abscess. He was ventilated and given antibiotics but died from respiratory failure secondary to pneumonia. Sputum cultures... 

A 38-year-old man presented with a 2-day history of severe abdominal pain and bloody stools after smoking cocaine 48 hours earlier (198). He had abdominal pain, guarding, rebound tenderness, and high-pitched, hypoactive bowel sounds. His white blood cell count was 31 x 109/1. Radiography showed thumb-printing in the transverse colon. Endoscopy showed friable edematous mucosa with submucosal hemorrhage and patches of yellowish fibrinous material. He recovered fully with intravenous nutrition and supportive measures after 30 days. 

Ross-Durow PL, Boyd CJ. Sexual abuse, depression, and eating disorders in African American women who smoke cocaine. J Subst Abuse Treat 2000 18(1) 79-81. 

Freebase A smokablc form of cocaine, As a verb, to smoke cocaine in this form. 

Sofuoglu M, Nelson D, Dudish-Poulsen S, Lexau B, Pentel PR, Hatsukami DK. Predictors of cardiovascular response to smoked cocaine in humans. Drug Alcohol Depend 2000 57(3) 239-45. 

Freebasinjj is the term used to describe the practice of smoking cocaine, but as a point of clarification, it should be noted that cocaine is not burned like tobacco but rather is heated until it vaporizes. When the vaporized cocaine is inhaled, it is absorbed rapidly and completely in lung tissue and produces an intensely pleasurable... 

Self-administration of smoked cocaine by humans. In L. Harris (Ed.), Problems of drtig dependence, 1992. Research Monograph 132 (p. 63). Washington, DC National Institute on Drug Abuse. 

Smoked cocaine is absorbed in seconds from the lungs, which results from volatilization of the alkaloid. Peak plasma concentrations occur within a few minutes. Absorption through mucous membranes is initially rapid, then slowed secondary to the vasoconstrictive effects of cocaine. Peak plasma concentrations occur within 1 h after oral ingestion and nasal application. After oral administration, bioavailability is decreased secondary to presystemic hydrolysis in the gastrointestinal tract. 

Opioids morphine, codeine Cigarette smoking Cocaine insufflation... 

The data on crack use and abuse among high school seniors dates back to the mid-1980s, when references to crack were generally available only as part of a larger, comprehensive picture of cocaine use. However, rather than referring to crack specifically by name, information about its abuse was more commonly reflected in questions about smoking cocaine. 

Between 1983 and 1986, the number of high school seniors who reported that they had smoked cocaine in the past year more than doubled—from 2.4 percent to 5.7 percent. An increase was also clear in the number who said that they had tried to stop using cocaine in the past year and been unable to stop, as well as in those who reported active daily use of cocaine. These numbers are all thought to reflect the spread of crack in the mid-1980s. 

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