The viciousness of crack cocaine that we typically associate with crime, petty assaults, and robberies stems from a ravaged urban America in the 1980s which led to some of the stiffest law enforcement ever to exist in a first-world country.[1] Seldom does the medical aspect even come to mind for the public at large, apart from the stereotypical insanity. The biggest risk to the addict, as most perceive it, is digging themselves deeper and deeper into their addiction without help or a way out.
Can You Overdose on Crack?
The use of crack carries with it a high risk of death. Indeed, addicts often push their cardiovascular or respiratory systems to the point of collapse.[2] When we think of an overdose, we think of tragic miscalculation: the fatal mistake of overestimating your tolerance and paying the ultimate price. The term overdose, though, is not synonymous with that final nail in the coffin. It is the body being overwhelmed with a toxic amount of crack (or another substance) that does not always lead to death, though it can.[3]
Crack Cocaine Overdose
Once smoked, the drug quickly makes its way into the bloodstream, across the blood-brain barrier, and into the central nervous system, at which point users often experience intense chest pains, paranoia, involuntary convulsions—what a casual onlooker perceives as typical street addict behavior.[4] It is difficult to comprehend that beneath the anorexia, exhaustion, anger, and depression that build up over time (and not much time), is a sense of euphoria. Despite all this torture that the addict endures—the agitation, the cold sweats, the hallucinations, the seizures—crack addicts are among the most consistent. Crack use seldom leads to death directly; however, it is highly prevalent in cases of fatal polydrug overdose.
Can You Die From Smoking Crack?
“Can you die from crack?” is a common question among crack users and their families. Although the purity of crack cocaine varies greatly, there is significant danger associated with smoking crack, including respiratory failure, kidney injury, and heart attack.[5] With crack, it is particularly easy to make it to this lethal zone. In society, the stigma surrounding crack users exists mostly out of concern for the rest of us; for our economy, our safety, and our right to stroll the city streets without fear of being attacked—or even bothered. Beneath the scary behavior of desperate urban crack addicts, however, is an enormous, underrepresented, even greater threat to their lives.
Crack Cocaine Addiction Often Needs Treatment
The severity of a person’s crack cocaine addiction can vary, but most need drug rehab to help them overcome their addiction. With the risk of an overdose being so great with this particular drug, it is imperative that a person seeks professional help. Oftentimes, users can’t manage to stop on their own for extended periods of time. The intense cravings for the drug become too powerful, and they give in. Inpatient drug treatment along side therapy is usually needed.
If you are seeking treatment for crack cocaine dependency, call The Last Resort today.
