What is the difference between weed and crack

This means that the sale of soft drugs in coffee shops is a criminal offence but the Public Prosecution Service does not prosecute coffee shops for this offence. Neither does the Public Prosecution Service prosecute members of the public for possession of small quantities of soft drugs.

These quantities are defined as follows:. The Netherlands tolerates the sale of soft drugs in coffee shops and takes rigorous action to suppress the sale of hard drugs. By adopting this strategy, the government separates these two markets. This sentencing disparity has had a disproportionate impact on poor people and people of color. Statistics show that Black people are more likely to be convicted of crack cocaine offenses even though the majority of crack cocaine users are white and white people are more likely to be convicted of powder cocaine offenses.

This means that Black people continue to receive far harsher drug sentences than white people even though powder and crack cocaine are nearly identical substances. See the fact sheet for more information and sources. What is the difference between cocaine and crack? Go back to 10 Facts About Cocaine. Sentencing Disparities Despite the fact that the chemical structure of powder cocaine and crack cocaine is nearly identical, the punishment for crack possession or sales is far greater than that of cocaine.

Both cocaine and crack are considered dangerous and can be fatal. Cocaine and crack are regularly laced with other drugs such as meth, marijuana, and opioids. Some people will mix cocaine or crack with heroin which makes for a less intense come-down from heroin. This mixture of stimulants and depressants is known as a speedball and it can be a fatal combination.

What tends to happen when a user mixes an upper with a downer is the drugs cancel each other out—the cocaine reduces the effects of the heroin, so users will continue using heroin to get the high their brain and addiction is seeking. The serious issue and danger occur when the cocaine wears off well before the heroin. After that, a user is left with an intense, and often deadly heroin high. Because of the mind-blowing euphoria that comes with speedballing; addiction and overdose are much more likely to happen.

A high from inhaled or injected cocaine will hit you in less than a minute, be at its peak within minutes, and last 30 minutes to an hour. Some of the most common withdrawal symptoms of both crack and cocaine are increased appetite, anxiety, depression, nightmares, insomnia, general discomfort, and restlessness.