Crack Cocaine
Crack cocaine produces a shorter and much more intense high than other forms of cocaine use.3 Since the high produced from crack cocaine is over quickly, there is an increased risk to abuse it in a binge-like pattern, making them more likely to develop an addiction. Crack cocaine use also increases the risk of other adverse side effects such as heart attack, stroke, seizure, or respiratory (breathing) failure.
Crack vs. cocaine
The main difference between crack vs. cocaine is how it is abused. Crack is smoked, whereas powder cocaine is usually snorted, swallowed, or injected. Otherwise, crack and cocaine are very similar substances with little to no differences in their chemical structure. This structure means that both forms produce similar results.4