Crack cocaine, also known simply as “crack,” is a highly addictive form of the drug cocaine. It is typically sold as a rock-like substance that can be smoked or injected. This article will focus on how to shoot crack, which involves injecting it into a vein using a needle.
What You’ll Need
To shoot crack, you will need the following:
Crack Cocaine Addiction Treatment
The most effective way for someone to get sober from crack is to attend a residential addiction treatment program. Soon after the effects of cocaine wear off, people begin having cravings for another hit of the drug. Cravings indicate that the brain is struggling to adjust it’s dopamine levels.
- Crack cocaine
- A needle
- A tourniquet or rubber band
- A cooker or spoon
- Cotton
- Water
For example, lemon juice is a less potent weak acid and may not break down as much of the crack as white vinegar would, resulting in less potent desired effects. Injecting practice is shaped by a complex interplay of social and environmental factors [29] and is not uniformly productive of risk. Qualitative accounts highlight the situated rationalities at play in injection preparation practice, with attributions of expertise mapping onto preparation practice and its variation or stability over time. SAMHSA’s mission is to lead public health and service delivery efforts that promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and provide treatments and supports to foster recovery while ensuring equitable access and better outcomes.
Preparing the Crack
Before you can shoot crack, you will need to prepare it. This involves heating the crack in a cooker or spoon until it melts. Then, you will need to add a small amount of water and cotton to the cooker. The cotton will act as a filter, trapping any impurities in the crack. Once the cotton is saturated with the melted crack, you can draw it up into the needle.
Finding a Vein
Preparing your shot as sanitarily and hygienically as possible can help you avoid many illnesses and infections, some of which can be quite serious and require hospitalization (see chapter 3). Every time you inject, you’re creating the means by which bacteria and other infection-causing microbes can directly enter the body, and, if you mainline, the bloodstream itself. The skin is the body’s first immune system component, and we open ourselves up to potential infection every time we break it. That’s why it’s so important that the equipment and the process we use to shoot up is as clean and safe as possible. If you find yourself in a situation where you must use someone else’s injection equipment or they must use yours, follow the cleaning instructions of this manual to reduce the likelihood of transmitting a blood-borne illness. Sharing injection equipment even after it has been cleaned is definitely a second-best choice because blood and other matter can remain in a needle or syringe even after cleaning with bleach.
The next step is to find a vein. This can be difficult, especially if you are new to shooting drugs. A good place to start is the crook of your arm, where the veins are usually easy to see. Once you have found a vein, you will need to tie off the area with a tourniquet or rubber band. This will cause the vein to swell, making it easier to find and inject into.
Treatments And Therapies
Injecting the Crack
- Get professional help from an online addiction and mental health counselor from BetterHelp.
- Today, the terms “freebasing” and “smoking crack” are almost always used interchangeably (this is also what we mean by “freebasing” for the rest of this article).
- Feeling relaxed, confident, and calm will help ensure that you will take your time to inject hygienically and properly.
- Additionally, screening questions were used to ensure that injectors had recently prepared crack cocaine for injection as opposed to powder cocaine, for instance.
- A former addict who works daily with drug users in city-sponsored homeless hotels, Delancey says that many of her clients have been using crack to “balance themselves out”–as a means to mitigate the post-high strain of heroin.
Once you have found a vein and tied it off, you can insert the needle into the vein. Make sure that the needle is angled slightly upwards, towards your heart. This will help the crack to flow more easily into your vein. Once the needle is in place, you can slowly push the plunger to inject the crack. Be careful not to inject too quickly, as this can cause damage to the vein.
What Are The Treatments For Cocaine Use Disorder?
It is also the riskiest method to use in terms of overdose (as compared to sniffing, smoking, or oral administration) because the entire dose enters the body all at once and very quickly. Injecting intravenously usually gives the user a “rush” that many people report to be extremely pleasurable, a sensation that does not occur with intramuscular or subcutaneous injection. While each injection method carries its own risks, mainlining is arguably the riskiest since it creates a direct opening between the bloodstream and the outside world. Heroin, cocaine, and amphetamine are three drugs that are commonly administered intravenously.
Aftercare
After you have injected the crack, you will need to remove the needle and apply pressure to the injection site. This will help to stop any bleeding and prevent bruising. You should also dispose of the needle properly, to avoid the risk of injury or infection.
FAQs
Q: Is shooting crack dangerous?
A: Yes, shooting crack is very dangerous. It can cause serious health problems, including heart attack, stroke, and respiratory failure. It can also lead to addiction and other mental health issues.
Q: Can I overdose on crack?
A: Yes, it is possible to overdose on crack. Overdose can occur when too much of the drug is taken at once, or when it is taken in combination with other substances. Overdose can be fatal, so it is important to seek medical attention immediately if you suspect that you or someone else has overdosed.
Q: Is there a safe way to shoot crack?
A: No, there is no safe way to shoot crack. The drug is highly addictive and can cause serious health problems, even when used in moderation. If you are struggling with crack addiction, it is important to seek help from a qualified medical professional.
