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One such combination involves mixing cocaine with heroin, an opioid. Using drugs in a variety of ways can lead to polysubstance abuse, or using cocaine with other substances. The injection of crack cocaine is a severe form of drug use, and many will engage in other methods such as snorting or smoking crack. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), withdrawal symptoms can consist of: The withdrawal one may experience from chronic cocaine use may be severe. Confusion, tremors, and sweating are common symptoms of cocaine overdose. When cocaine is injected into neck veins, serious conditions such as myositis, thrombophlebitis, and pneumothorax can develop.īlood vessels may rupture and the risk of cardiac arrest may occur. Those who inject cocaine chronically have a risk of overdose and severe cocaine intoxication. Sharing needles can increase the risk of developing: Injecting cocaine can lead to risky behaviors such as sharing needles, a public health issue that has prompted the need for needle exchange programs and other interventions. On top of these serious side effects caused by crack cocaine, there are other dangers of abusing the drug, including engaging in high-risk behaviors such as unprotected sex. Long-term cocaine use may lead to the following effects: According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, short-term effects may include: This causes a person to experience a rush of euphoria, or “high.”Ĭrack use can cause a number of side effects, regardless of the method of administration. Once dissolved, a needle is used to inject the crack cocaine into a vein of the body.
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To be injected, the crack must be transformed into a soluble form. While crack cocaine is generally smoked, it can be consumed via intravenous injection. Cocaine is an illicit drug that can come in the form of powder or rock, also known as crack cocaine.
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