CRACK OPEN THESE FACTS

- - Cocaine is the short form of the substance cocaine hydrochloride.
Some users chemically process cocaine to remove the hydrochloride.
This process is called freebasing, and makes the drug more potent.

- - Cocaine is considered to be a stimulant, which are generally used
for their ability to increase alertness and endurance, to stay awake
for long periods of time, to decrease appetite, and produce feelings
of well-being and euphoria.

- - Crack is a solid form of freebased cocaine, and was given this name
because it snaps and cracks when heated and smoked.

- - Crack is made by adding baking soda to the freebased cocaine
solution, and allowing it to dry.

- - Crack is often packaged in vials or plastic bags, and sold in small
quantities.

- - 300 to 500 milligrams is enough for two or three
inhalations.

- - Crack is much more affordable than powder cocaine. Even adolescents
can afford to buy it.

- - Most crack sold on the streets contains some form of impurity,
meaning predicting how a person will react to the drug is next to impossible.

- - The following reactions may appear after the first, or the 100th
use, or any other time: convulsions, increased heart rate, abnormal
heartbeat, heart attack, sudden blood pressure increase, stroke,
extreme depression, suicidal behaviour.

- - Large doses can cause severe agitation, paranoia, erratic and
violent behaviour, tremors, lack of co-ordination, hallucinations,
headache, nausea, blurred vision, fever, and muscle spasms.

- - Cocaine is derived from the leaves of the South American cocoa
bush.

- - Prevalence of crack and cocaine use by street youth is much higher
than high school student uses. It is at 31 per cent in Toronto, 20 per
cent in Halifax, and 85 per cent in Vancouver.

- - Chronic use of cocaine in any form can produce a powerful
psychological dependence, leading to compulsive patterns of use.
Physical dependence may also develop.

- - In Canada, it is an offence to operate a motor vehicle while
impaired by alcohol or drugs.

- - Information gleaned from Health Canada, Narconon Drug Addiction
Rehabilitation Program and The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.