Rock (drug): A street term for a form of cocaine that has been processed into a free base, ready for smoking. Unlike the more dangerous method of using ether to process cocaine, rock cocaine, also known as crack, is made using baking soda and water. This method removes the hydrochloride component, creating a smokable version of cocaine.On the illegal market, crack is sold in small, affordable doses. Smoking this form of cocaine delivers a large amount of the drug to the brain, producing effects similar to those of intravenous injection. These effects are almost immediate, very intense, but short-lived.Cocaine is the most powerful natural stimulant, known as a bitter and addictive anesthetic, derived from the leaves of the Erythroxylon coca plant found in the Andean highlands of South America. The name "cocaine" and the street names "coke" and "Coca Cola" (which once contained it) originate from this plant.There are significant risks associated with cocaine use, whether it's snorted, injected, or smoked. High doses can result in seizures, respiratory failure, bleeding in the brain, or even death. No specific treatment exists for cocaine overdose, and evidence indicates that smoking or injecting cocaine poses greater risks than snorting. Cocaine smokers often experience severe respiratory issues such as coughing, shortness of breath, and intense chest pain, sometimes accompanied by lung damage and bleeding. Moreover, addiction to cocaine tends to develop faster when the drug is smoked rather than snorted.
