Wish you would step back from that ledge, my friend

This is terribly unusual for me. However, it fits the mold. I have a friend who might be in over their head. It involves substance abuse and the substance being used is crack cocaine.

Crack is a derivative of cocaine. The chemical make-up of cocaine is modified by putting the cocaine in a liquid baking soda mixture to unlock non-high inducing aspects from the base. This mixture is cooked down, a reduction of sorts to remove the liquid. The cake is then broken up into individual pieces or "rocks". This creates a highly concentrated drug with some moisture left in it. The name "crack" refers to the sound the rock makes as the moisture is steamed out. The added benefit is the rocks can be smoked instead of being inhaled through the nasal passages or injected, like other forms of cocaine. If you do not like needles or are afraid your septum will deteriorate over time, this is a great drug. Approximately 2% of the United States population over age 11 uses some form of cocaine.

The high from smoking crack starts in less than a minute and lasts approximately 10-15 minutes. The intensity and duration of the high lessens after each use. Crack's addictive qualities are nearly immediate. Statistics show that as many as 1 in 5 users of crack become chronic users after their first use. Continued use increases the risk of addiction. One possible reason for this is explained by how the drug induces a high. The drug inhibits the body's ability to process dopamine. This is a chemical in the body that regulates brain activity. It appears that the drug not only inhibits the processing of dopamine, it also changes the body's balance, sort of re-calibrating what the brain thinks the natural level of dopamine should be.

This isn't a corny email plea to pass on to 5 of your friends. Just send out some kind thoughts or a hopeful prayer. Worst case, we've spread a little sunshine. Also, if you are a parent, please talk to your children about this drug. Give them all the information they need to make an informed decision. They need to understand why they are saying "no". There are a ton of resources available on the web. Let Google do the walking for you.