Crack cocaine, also known as freebase or Charlie, is a compound of cocaine which is smoked, giving rapid absorption via the lungs and a brief “rush” of euphoria, with feelings of invincibility. It inhibits monoamine reuptake by binding to dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin system membrane transporters. Its half life is 50 minutes, and dysphoria—possibly caused by dopamine depletion—may rapidly follow. Twenty per cent of experimenters are said to become regular users. A small “rock” of crack can cost a few pounds. Crack has become widely available on the drug scene in the past 10 years. Its use is said to be linked with violent crime and prostitution. Some users start on opiates to deal with dysphoria related to crack.
No substitution treatment is available, but dopamine reuptake blockers such as desipramine are being investigated.
“I used to take up to £4500 worth in one week. I got the money by going up to London on the train and working the big hotels. As well as that I’d steal credit cards from the hotel rooms. I was such a good earner that one gang sold me to another. Now I’ve got nowhere to live and my kids are in care. I’m afraid somebody is going to kill me.” [Prostitute, aged 28]
“If you’ve taken £300 worth of crack in one day you are just a person of no account, worth no respect. A decent person, someone worthy of ‘respect,’ will take £600 or £1000 worth. When you’ve taken that much there’s only one thing you want to do, do it again. The first time you take it is really good. Every time you take it after that it’s never as good. You’re forever trying to recapture that first time experience. There’s no harm reduction programme for crack.” [Civil servant, ex-user, aged 40]
“I’d been to night school, worked really hard to get qualifications, got my own flat together, and a new car. Everything was going really well, then one weekend I got really down; I sold my car in the club for £1800 and spent it all on crack. [Clerk, aged 26]
“He was bailed back home to us; I kept him in all week, and he seemed okay, then he climbed out of the bathroom window and didn’t come home for three days; he went straight back on the crack again.” [Mother of 18 year old] “When I took crack I felt that I was king for a minute, but the whole effect would be over in 10 minutes. The easiest way to stop coming down was to take more. I took as much as £750 worth in a day. You can get that kind of money by stealing new cars; they give you £1000 for one and clone it.” [Her son]
“I was spending £200 a day on it, working as an escort; then this man pulled a gun on me and attacked me when I got in his truck. He might have killed me; lots of people change just like that on it. I know people with money who take it, solicitors, businessmen. Now I’m scared to work, I’ve got no money, so I’ve had to stop taking it. I just get depressed all the time now.” [Prostitute, aged 26]
“He hid in the health centre lavatory until the staff had left, then came into my room in a really agitated and angry state, told me he’d taken £350 worth of crack in there, that he had a weapon and was going to kill me; then he went through my desk.” [Local GP]
“If he takes crack his lithium won’t work.” [Forensic psychiatrist]
“We haven’t got a great deal to offer in the way of managing crack cocaine addiction; our resources are already overwhelmed by our existing opiate users.” [Consultant at local drug problem team]
Footnotes
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