Crack drug paraphernalia

They inhale the vapors through a tube, which might be a straw, rolled paper or money, or a hollow pen. Baking soda might also be considered crack paraphernalia. Besides the fact that crack cocaine is highly addictive and smoking is bad for your health, making your own crack paraphernalia can be dangerous too. People have inhaled pieces of makeshift pipe screens, causing throat burns. These pieces may also be sharp going down. Crack smokers often have burns or blisters on their fingers, lips, and mouth from hot crack pipes.

Both metal and glass pipes can get very hot. Disease transmission is a risk no matter what you use to smoke crack cocaine. COVID can cause severe respiratory issues. Smoking crack cocaine damages the respiratory system, so people who smoke are especially vulnerable to COVID complications. Smoking crack also comes with the risk of overdose and can cause long-term health issues, such as lung and heart problems.

The sooner you address the problem, the sooner healing can begin. It may be a challenge to bring up the subject of substance abuse to a loved one. Be sure to approach it from a place of love and understanding rather than blame and anger. You may want to consult an addiction treatment or intervention specialist before approaching your loved one. To learn more about makeshift crack paraphernalia, how to talk to a loved one about substance abuse, or crack cocaine rehab programs, reach out to one of our treatment specialists today.

Achieve long-term recovery. Bedrock Recovery Center. Canton, MA. Northeast Addictions Treatment Center. Quincy, MA. Recovering Champions. Falmouth, MA. They are usually cut into 3-inch to 5-inch lengths. Another method is to extract the inside of a ballpoint pen and snort the drug through the hollowed tube.

Rolled-up dollar bills can also be used to snort drugs. The bills are simply curled into a tube and then flattened out afterward to conceal the evidence. People who use bills for snorting tend to prefer crisp bills because they believe less powder will get stuck to the fibers compared to old, frayed ones.

While rolling papers or glass or metal pipes often indicate that someone is smoking drugs, aluminum foil can also be evidence of drug use.

People who smoke crack will often place the chopped-up crystals onto a piece of foil and hold it over a candle or lighter until it smokes. They will then inhale the smoke through a rolled-up foil straw, dollar bill, or glass or metal straw. If you find wadded-up pieces of crack foil in the waste bin, it will usually have a burnt, resiny scent that's hard to miss.

Lighters, used matches, and bunsen burners may also be a source of concern if a person is not known to smoke cigarettes , light candles, or burn incense. There are many things a person can use to tie off an arm so that a vein plumps up before injecting a drug such as heroin.

A person might use extra-long shoelaces, a belt, a hairband, an elastic lanyard, or even a length of twine. All of these things can be obvious signs of drug use. One item that should raise a red flag is a precut length of rubber tubing or lacing, which may be preferred because they provide extra tension that other items can't.

There are many potential signs of illegal drug use including:. Of course, some symptoms may be the result of an underlying medical condition or the side effects of a prescribed drug. If you suspect your teen is taking illicit drugs, be sure to do some research to find out if there is another explanation. You might even speak to their doctor to be sure. However, if someone is displaying common signs of illegal drug use and they possess certain drug paraphernalia, it is likely they are using drugs.

However, these are also everyday items that have benign uses. If you notice someone using "cover-up" products frequently, along with displaying other behavioral signs, it may be more likely that they are engaging in drug use.

If parents or caregivers suspect that a teen might be using drugs, it is important to have a conversation with the child and to seek help from a doctor. The Partnership to End Addiction suggests that parents should:.

Recognizing the signs of drug use and taking action is essential for getting your loved one the help and treatment that they need. Talk to a health professional or call an information helpline for more tips on how to help a loved one who might have a substance use problem.

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. It can feel terrifying when you suspect that someone you love is using harmful drugs. The best place to start is by communicating with them and letting them know that you care about them and want the best for them. You can help point them in the right direction by discussing their options, such as attending therapy or a support group for people with substance use disorder if their use is compulsive.

Remember, they are ultimately responsible for their sobriety, so taking care of their mental health is paramount to putting them on track for a drug-free lifestyle. Possession of drug paraphernalia refers to having equipment that is used to produce, conceal, or administer illicit drugs. Many states have laws that specify the equipment that qualifies as paraphernalia, but it may include items such as bongs, glass pipes, syringes, and miniature spoons.

Being charged with possession means that an individual has been accused of having equipment or material used to produce, process, prepare, or use an illicit substance. State laws vary, but the conviction of possession of paraphernalia can potentially lead to prison time, fines, and community service.

If a loved one has drug paraphernalia in their possession, talk to them about getting treatment and ask a doctor or mental health professional for further advice. Kids can buy paraphernalia from a variety of places, including novelty shops, gas stations, convenience stores. The soda can may have a false bottom to hide crack; the lipstick dispenser could hide a crack pipe; the felt tip marker might be an internal crack pipe; and the pager could be hollowed out to conceal crack cocaine.

Other crack cocaine paraphernalia that can be used to conceal the drug:. In the absence of commercially-available crack cocaine paraphernalia, either due to legal restrictions or an actual lack of manufacturers, many drug users manufacture their own. Primitive examples of this would include pipes for the consumption of crack and meth made from broken light bulbs, spotting knives, and bottles. Police in many countries will seize objects they believe to be improvised crack cocaine paraphernalia and charge people for possessing these objects.