Crack is a crystallized form a cocaine, an extremely powerful stimulant drug that swept through the United States in the 1970s and 80s. The powdery cocaine is mixed with baking soda and compacted into a hard crystal, which is then smoked in a pipe. The high it brings is faster and more intense than the effects of cocaine by itself, but the duration is much shorter. This usually drives those who are addicted to it to continually seek a more potent and longer lasting high. The more people smoke it trying to get higher for longer, the quicker they become addicted to it. It’s one of the reasons it’s one of the more addictive substances in the country, not far behind heroin and other opioids. But just how long does it take someone to get addicted to crack?
Like heroin, many addiction experts say that for many people, all it takes is just one hit to become hooked to smoking crack. While there’s no way to truly tell if someone is addicted to a substance after just one hit, many who were addicted to crack say that after their first time smoking it, they were more or less hooked in that they really, really wanted more.
For the most part, whether or not someone gets addicted to a substance quickly or not very much depends on a wide range of factors, including whether or not they already use or have used other substances, any mental health of psychological issues, even family history. No two people are exactly alike, so no two people will react the same way.
Crack is extremely addictive, no matter how you look at it. It’s almost impossible to be a ‘casual’ crack smoker, and the tolerance builds quickly, meaning you’re going to be smoking more and more, trying to build a high, and all you’re really doing is rushing towards a possible overdose. Overdosing on crack often involves cardiac arrest and severe kidney damage usually coupled with renal failure. There are serious mental health consequences as well, including depression and inducing bipolar disorder.
All it could take is just one hit to get addicted to crack, or it could take four, or ten. It’s a huge gamble to smoke crack just once, and it’s a gamble that has cost many of people their sobriety and even their lives.
Addiction can rob you of your health and your dignity. Our 5-week program at The Springboard Center treats the whole person, creating healing in mind, body, and spirit. Bringing together evidence-based treatments and trusted 12-step principles, our best practices create a quality, accessible treatment program serving the Permian Basin and beyond. Call us today for information on our availability: (432) 620-0255
