We've all heard the phrase crack kills, that's an understatement. What is crack? According to Webster's dictionary, it is "a potent form of cocaine obtained by treating cocaine hydrochloride with sodium bicarbonate to create small chips illicitly used for smoking." According to Wikipedia, the definition of crack cocaine is the free form of cocaine that can be smoked or shot. It may also be called rock, work, hard, iron, quarry, base, or simply crack; . “It is said to be the most addictive form of cocaine, although this has been disputed” (Wikipedia.com). Smoked crack cocaine offers a short but intense high and appeared mainly in poor inner-city neighborhoods, and began showing up in the mid-1980s. According to a recent Narconon publication on the facts about Crackcrack, this is what they had to say: “The chemical hydrochloride of cocaine is commonly known as crack. Some users chemically process cocaine to remove the hydrochloride. This process is called "freebasing" and makes the drug more potent. “Crack” is a solid form of free cocaine. It is called “crack” because it cracks and breaks when heated and smoked.” Because crack is a prepared form of freebase cocaine, the user does not have to purchase the equipment or be exposed to the explosive chemicals associated with freebase. Crack is often packaged in vials or plastic bags and sold in small quantities, usually 300-500 mg or enough for two or three inhalations. In the 1970s, cocaine was expensive and considered a "status" drug. The introduction of inexpensive crack increased the accessibility of this substance, and crack became the drug of choice for many users, especially domestic ones... all about making easy money. I'm not really sure how I could apply this to my particular field of interest other than knowing more about the dangers of crack users and what to look for, but still a drug is a drug and many side effects of crack can and are applied to other drugs, with crack it's more progressive. After reading the material and doing some research, my awareness increases. The only thing that can apply is knowing that there are agencies or organizations like Narconon that can help addicts get support to break the habit that can be passed on to clients. Works Cited The NARCONON Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation 02/22/2014 Drug/Drug Abuse Information. (2010-2014). Retrieved from www.Narconon.orgWebMD 02/22/2014Goldberg, J. (2005-2014). Mental Health Center. Retrieved from www.webmd.com