Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3, common baking soda) is a base used in preparation of crack, although other weak bases may substitute for it. Use of toxic adulterants such as levamisole has been documented. Kent Dahl, with Red Deer RCMP Federal Drugs, Canada, white substances mimicking the appearance of cocaine are added to increase bulk. Ĭrack cocaine as sold on the streets may be adulterated or 'buffed' to increase bulk. Purer forms of crack will sink in water or melt at the edges when near a flame (crack vaporizes at 90 ☌, 194 ☏). When smoked, crack can leave the tongue numb where the smoke enters the mouth. A crack rock acts as a local anesthetic (see: cocaine), numbing the tongue or mouth only where directly placed. Purer forms of crack resemble a hard brittle plastic, in crystalline form (snaps when broken). In purer forms, crack rocks appear as off-white nuggets with jagged edges, with a slightly higher density than candle wax.
