Find out how cocaine is used now as well as the street names of cocaine in this article. This is the second of a series of six articles on: history of cocaine; the use of cocaine; the reason people use cocaine; the effects of using cocaine; the warnings signs of someone using, withdrawing from, and overdosing on cocaine; and cocaine statistics and treatment.

How Cocaine Is Used

The newly refined cocaine was found to dissolve readily in water or alcohol thus other routs of use became possible such as:

• Drinking
• Injection
• Contact absorption
• Smoking

Cocaine Wine

In the early 1860’s cocaine wines became popular in France and Italy. In addition, a clever manufacturer and salesman, Angelo Mariani developed Vin Mariani, a cocaine wine, and promoted its use through the first celebrity endorsements such as; Thomas Edison, and Pope Leo X111. Thus, the first cocaine epidemic began. Then in the 1880’s patent medicines laced with cocaine and other drugs became a cure for any ailment.

Injecting Cocaine

The invention of the hypodermic needle in 1857 introduced the ability to use cocaine intravenously. The results produce an intense rush within 15-30 seconds. The rush is more intense than chewing the leaf, drinking cocaine wine or snorting cocaine hydrochloride. Injecting Cocaine produces the highest blood cocaine level, and therefore the largest crash.

Snorting Cocaine

During the early 1900’s a new form of cocaine usage developed, snorting the powder into the nostrils, this method is called: 

• Tooting
• Blowing
• Horning
• Snorting

Snorting cocaine places the drug into the nasal membranes and then into the brain within 3 to 5 minutes with peak effects taking a few more minutes to manifest. Therefore snorting cocaine is a self-limiting method of use. In fact, the more cocaine that is snorted the slower the absorption. In addition, when the constricting effects of snorting cocaine wears off the nasal tissues swell causing the nose to run and sniffle. Chronic snorters can kill nasal tissues and in some cases, the nasal septum dividing the nostrils is perforated.

Smoking Cocaine

In 1914, Parke-Davis Pharmaceuticals introduced cigarettes that contained refined cocaine. However, the high temperature needed to convert cocaine hydrochloride to smoke destroyed many of the psychoactive properties. Then in the mid-1970’s street chemists converted cocaine hydrochloride to freebase cocaine, this lowered the vaporization point and allowed the drug to be smoked without loosing the psychoactive effects. This method of converting cocaine into a smokable form of the drug is known as “basing” or “baseballing” and leaves behind pure cocaine crystals that are highly combustible.

In the mid-1980’s an easier method of making freebase cocaine was found. This method known as “cheap basing" or “dirty basing”, involves dissolving the cocaine into a solution of baking soda and water then heating the solution until crystals form. The chunks of smokable cocaine made by this method are called “crack”, so called because of the crackling sound that occurs when it is smoked, or “rock” because the product looks like little rocks. This method does not remove as many impurities as does the freebasing method. Names of smokable cocaine besides “crack” “rock” or “freebase” include:

• Paste
• Base
• Basay
• Hubba
• Gravel
• Roxanne
• Girl
• Fry
• Boulya

It is important to know that crack and freebase are just different chemical forms of smokable cocaine and contains four chemical properties that users seek:

1. A lower melting point, allowing it to be heated easily in a glass pipe at a lower temperature as to not destroy the psychoactive properties with the heat.
2. It reaches the brain in as little time as 5-8 seconds.
3. Is more readily absorbed by the brains fat cells, causing a more intense reaction.
4. Users obtain a much higher dose of cocaine in their systems over a shot period of time

In addition, crack cocaine produces a much more powerful craving than freebase cocaine. Crack blocks out the ability to function normally and causes a rapid downslide.

Source:

• Uppers, Downers All Arounders, Darryl S Inaba ‘Executive officer Haight Ashbury Free Clinics, San Francisco CA.’, William E. Cohen, ‘Haight Ashbury Detox Clinic’

Related Article: Why Do People Use Cocaine? >>