Cocaine is a potent, illegal stimulant drug with the potential to cause energizing and euphoric effects. People may abuse cocaine in several forms, including crack cocaine, powder cocaine, and freebase cocaine.

This article will explore freebasing cocaine and its risks. You will learn:

  • What freebasing is
  • The risks of freebasing cocaine
  • The long-term risks of cocaine abuse
  • How to recognize and treat cocaine addiction
  • Where to find cocaine addiction treatment

If you or someone you love freebase cocaine, smokes crack, or uses these drugs in any way, you are not alone. Find effective treatment and compassionate support at Archstone Behavioral Health. Learn about our programs or schedule an intake appointment by contacting our intake team now.

What is Freebasing?

Cocaine is an illicit stimulant drug that comes in many forms. People may snort the powdered form of the drug. People may also alter cocaine in several ways to change its physical properties and effects.

People may combine cocaine with baking soda to create a solid called crack. Or, people can use a special process involving ammonia to separate cocaine from its salt form, leaving behind a base.

Freebasing cocaine involves heating this pure “base” form of cocaine and inhaling the vapors. This provides a quicker, more intense high than using it in other ways.

Freebase cocaine is solid. Unlike other forms of the drug, it does not dissolve easily in water. Users must heat and inhale it instead of snorting or injecting it.

The effects of freebasing last a very short time, typically less than 30 minutes. Because the effects are short-lived, people may use the drug more often in a short period. This increased the risk of developing addiction.

Freebasing involves several dangers. Making freebase is dangerous, using it is dangerous, and attempting to stop using it can cause dangerous cocaine withdrawal symptoms. Recognizing the signs of freebase abuse and seeking immediate treatment are essential to avoiding life-threatening complications.

Freebasing Cocaine: Understanding the Risks

Freebasing cocaine comes with short and long-term risks. While using cocaine in this way, people may experience pleasurable effects, including feelings of euphoria and increased energy.

However, people may also experience unwanted side effects, including:

  • Nausea
  • Headache
  • Constricted (small) pupils
  • Excessive sweating
  • Insomnia
  • Sexual dysfunction

After freebasing cocaine, people may experience a “crash.” A crash may include intense anxiety, depression, paranoia, or fatigue. Users may freebase cocaine more often to avoid these intense, uncomfortable symptoms. Over time, freebasing can lead to anxiety, mood changes, irritability, hallucinations, and other issues.

Freebasing can cause severe harm to the brain, lungs, and heart. Some of the long-term effects of freebasing cocaine include a higher risk of:

  • Heart attack
  • Stroke
  • Heart palpitations
  • Asthma or other serious respiratory issues
  • Seizures

People may also sustain injuries related to freebasing, such as burns to the face or hands. Some people also experience aggression or violent behaviors while using cocaine in this way.

It is important to seek treatment as soon as you recognize the signs of freebasing or cocaine abuse.

Effects and Risks of Cocaine Addiction

Freebasing cocaine is one of the most dangerous methods of abusing this potent stimulant. All cocaine abuse has the potential to damage your mental and physical health.

Some of the long-term effects of cocaine abuse include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Heart disease
  • Excessive weight loss
  • Digestive tract damage
  • Liver and kidney disease
  • Damage to the sinuses and facial bones
  • Heart attack
  • Chest pain
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Malnutrition

It can be very challenging to overcome cocaine addiction. People living with untreated cocaine addiction are at higher risk of a deadly overdose, serious health problems, legal and financial problems, and other life-altering complications.

Recognizing Cocaine Abuse

Most people with cocaine dependence require intensive treatment to safely stop using it. Recognizing the signs of cocaine abuse can help people get the treatment they need to overcome it.

Some of the signs of cocaine abuse and addiction include:

  • Excessive energy or erratic behaviors
  • Physical symptoms like dilated pupils, runny nose, sudden weight loss, or frequent nosebleeds
  • Increased isolation
  • New legal or financial trouble
  • Using cocaine more often or needing to use more to get the desired effects
  • Lying or being sneaky about their substance use
  • Doing illegal or dishonest things to get money or cocaine
  • Having withdrawal symptoms if they stop using cocaine

Cocaine is a highly addictive drug. Even those using it occasionally can develop a dependence on it.

People with cocaine addiction usually require medical and mental health treatment to quit using it. Cocaine addiction treatment programs usually include:

  • Assessments and screenings
  • Medically-supported detox programs
  • Medications and medical care
  • Behavioral therapies
  • Individual, group, and family therapy
  • Relapse prevention education
  • Holistic therapies like exercise, mindfulness, massage, and nutrition support
  • Aftercare planning and support

Comprehensive cocaine abuse treatment programs can help people safely stop using cocaine and avoid relapse.

Find Treatment Now

If you or someone you love struggles with freebasing or cocaine abuse of any kind, you are not alone. Effective, compassionate treatment is available at Archstone Behavioral Health. Contact our intake team to learn about our programs or to schedule an intake assessment.

References:

  1. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Cocaine
  2. NIDA: Research Report Series Cocaine: Abuse and Addiction
  3. Science Direct: Respiratory Effects of Cocaine “Freebasing” Among Habitual Users of Marijuana With or Without Tobacco

Cocaine is a potent, illegal stimulant drug with the potential to cause energizing and euphoric effects. People may abuse cocaine in several forms, including crack cocaine, powder cocaine, and freebase cocaine.

This article will explore freebasing cocaine and its risks. You will learn:

  • What freebasing is
  • The risks of freebasing cocaine
  • The long-term risks of cocaine abuse
  • How to recognize and treat cocaine addiction
  • Where to find cocaine addiction treatment

If you or someone you love freebase cocaine, smokes crack, or uses these drugs in any way, you are not alone. Find effective treatment and compassionate support at Archstone Behavioral Health. Learn about our programs or schedule an intake appointment by contacting our intake team now.

What is Freebasing?

Cocaine is an illicit stimulant drug that comes in many forms. People may snort the powdered form of the drug. People may also alter cocaine in several ways to change its physical properties and effects.

People may combine cocaine with baking soda to create a solid called crack. Or, people can use a special process involving ammonia to separate cocaine from its salt form, leaving behind a base.

Freebasing cocaine involves heating this pure “base” form of cocaine and inhaling the vapors. This provides a quicker, more intense high than using it in other ways.

Freebase cocaine is solid. Unlike other forms of the drug, it does not dissolve easily in water. Users must heat and inhale it instead of snorting or injecting it.

The effects of freebasing last a very short time, typically less than 30 minutes. Because the effects are short-lived, people may use the drug more often in a short period. This increased the risk of developing addiction.

Freebasing involves several dangers. Making freebase is dangerous, using it is dangerous, and attempting to stop using it can cause dangerous cocaine withdrawal symptoms. Recognizing the signs of freebase abuse and seeking immediate treatment are essential to avoiding life-threatening complications.

Freebasing Cocaine: Understanding the Risks

Freebasing cocaine comes with short and long-term risks. While using cocaine in this way, people may experience pleasurable effects, including feelings of euphoria and increased energy.

However, people may also experience unwanted side effects, including:

  • Nausea
  • Headache
  • Constricted (small) pupils
  • Excessive sweating
  • Insomnia
  • Sexual dysfunction

After freebasing cocaine, people may experience a “crash.” A crash may include intense anxiety, depression, paranoia, or fatigue. Users may freebase cocaine more often to avoid these intense, uncomfortable symptoms. Over time, freebasing can lead to anxiety, mood changes, irritability, hallucinations, and other issues.

Freebasing can cause severe harm to the brain, lungs, and heart. Some of the long-term effects of freebasing cocaine include a higher risk of:

  • Heart attack
  • Stroke
  • Heart palpitations
  • Asthma or other serious respiratory issues
  • Seizures

People may also sustain injuries related to freebasing, such as burns to the face or hands. Some people also experience aggression or violent behaviors while using cocaine in this way.

It is important to seek treatment as soon as you recognize the signs of freebasing or cocaine abuse.

Effects and Risks of Cocaine Addiction

Freebasing cocaine is one of the most dangerous methods of abusing this potent stimulant. All cocaine abuse has the potential to damage your mental and physical health.

Some of the long-term effects of cocaine abuse include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Heart disease
  • Excessive weight loss
  • Digestive tract damage
  • Liver and kidney disease
  • Damage to the sinuses and facial bones
  • Heart attack
  • Chest pain
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Malnutrition

It can be very challenging to overcome cocaine addiction. People living with untreated cocaine addiction are at higher risk of a deadly overdose, serious health problems, legal and financial problems, and other life-altering complications.

Recognizing Cocaine Abuse

Most people with cocaine dependence require intensive treatment to safely stop using it. Recognizing the signs of cocaine abuse can help people get the treatment they need to overcome it.

Some of the signs of cocaine abuse and addiction include:

  • Excessive energy or erratic behaviors
  • Physical symptoms like dilated pupils, runny nose, sudden weight loss, or frequent nosebleeds
  • Increased isolation
  • New legal or financial trouble
  • Using cocaine more often or needing to use more to get the desired effects
  • Lying or being sneaky about their substance use
  • Doing illegal or dishonest things to get money or cocaine
  • Having withdrawal symptoms if they stop using cocaine

Cocaine is a highly addictive drug. Even those using it occasionally can develop a dependence on it.

People with cocaine addiction usually require medical and mental health treatment to quit using it. Cocaine addiction treatment programs usually include:

  • Assessments and screenings
  • Medically-supported detox programs
  • Medications and medical care
  • Behavioral therapies
  • Individual, group, and family therapy
  • Relapse prevention education
  • Holistic therapies like exercise, mindfulness, massage, and nutrition support
  • Aftercare planning and support

Comprehensive cocaine abuse treatment programs can help people safely stop using cocaine and avoid relapse.

Find Treatment Now

If you or someone you love struggles with freebasing or cocaine abuse of any kind, you are not alone. Effective, compassionate treatment is available at Archstone Behavioral Health. Contact our intake team to learn about our programs or to schedule an intake assessment.

References:

  1. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Cocaine
  2. NIDA: Research Report Series Cocaine: Abuse and Addiction
  3. Science Direct: Respiratory Effects of Cocaine “Freebasing” Among Habitual Users of Marijuana With or Without Tobacco

Medically Reviewed: January 14, 2025

Medical Reviewer

Chief Editor

medically-verified

All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.