Fish scale cocaine is a form of cocaine which has a shiny, pearly, scaly appearance, similar to the scales of a fish. It is considered the purest form of cocaine produced and sold illicitly- around 90% pure. This is in contrast to regular cocaine, which is often cut (mixed) with other substances, leaving only around 60% cocaine in each pill.
The glossy appearance of fish scale cocaine is due to the presence of cocaine hydrochloride in the pill, which means that it is less diluted than other forms of cocaine. Although pure cocaine is safer than other forms of cocaine, (in which it is impossible to know exactly what the pill contains), pure cocaine poses a greater risk in other ways.
What is Cocaine?
Cocaine is an addictive stimulant drug extracted from the leaves of the coca plant. It is used illicitly by millions of people all over the US to produce a euphoric ‘high’ which allows the user to detach temporarily from reality.
Cocaine can be snorted, rubbed into the gums, smoked, or injected into the bloodstream. Each method of using cocaine creates different results. For example, injecting the drug causes euphoria to hit more quickly because the drug reaches the brain faster.
Cocaine is a schedule II drug, which means that it has a pretty high potential for abuse, while it can also be prescribed by a doctor (such as for local anesthesia in some surgeries). There are many unfortunate deaths every year related to the use of cocaine, especially when it is mixed with fentanyl or other potent drugs.
Differences Between Regular Cocaine and Fish Scale Coke
Firstly, fish scale cocaine (or coke, as cocaine is called on the street) is purer than the ordinary cocaine sold on the street. Drug dealers cut (mix) regular cocaine with many other substances in order to stretch the drug and increase profit margins. As a result, pure fishscale coke is more expensive.
Regular cocaine is dangerous because one can never know which substances have been mixed into the pill and, therefore, how the body will react after it has been ingested. Fish scale cocaine does not carry the risk of impure additives, but its side effects are more severe than that of regular cocaine because it is so much more concentrated.
How is The Fish Scale Drug Made?
As an illicit substance, fish-scale cocaine is not regulated by any governing body. The cocaine is derived from the leaves of the coca plant, grown in South American countries like Peru, Colombia, and Bolivia. The leaves are then soaked in gasoline or other toxic chemicals to extract the cocaine.
Fish-scale cocaine enjoyed wide popularity during the 1980s. It was imported from outside of the US as kilo blocks stacked in the back of trucks, and flaked and shimmered when broken down, similar to a fish’s scales.
Today, different governing bodies have intervened and decreased the amount of cocaine smuggled into the country. Fish-scale cocaine is therefore not as widely available as it used to be.
Additionally, most people who use drugs prefer the cheaper, impure version of cocaine, leaving fish-scale cocaine as the less popular choice.
Dangers of Fish Scale Drug
People using regular cocaine are in great danger if they suddenly switch to fish-scale cocaine. This is because ordinary cocaine is around 60% pure, while fish-scale cocaine is around 90% pure, making it far more potent. One might take their regular dose of cocaine which they are used to, without realizing that they are ingesting a much more concentrated and powerful substance.
Practically, it means that using fish scale cocaine can easily result in an overdose. It is crucial to know which kind of cocaine pill you’re taking to ensure you are taking a consistent dose and avoid such a fatal outcome.
Side Effects of Fish Scales Drug
There are no additional symptoms of fish-scale cocaine to regular cocaine. However, the symptoms of fish-scale cocaine are more severe.
Here are some of the side effects of fish-scale cocaine:
- Anxiety
- Hallucinations
- Panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Increased heart rate
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Elevated blood pressure
- Panic attack
- Depression
- Suicidal ideation
- Heart attack
- Overdose
- Coma
- Death
The risk of overdose increases significantly when the fish-scale cocaine user is either inexperienced at using drugs, or has never encountered fish-scale powder before and does not know how much of it their body can handle at once.
Treatment for Fish-Scale Cocaine Addiction
If you or a loved one are addicted to either fish-scale cocaine or regular cocaine, it may feel like you’ll never break free. Cocaine is highly addictive, and getting out of the cycle of addiction may seem beyond your capabilities.
At Avenues Recovery, we have supported hundreds of addicts at our numerous rehab centers to find recovery. We have a highly professional staff of therapists, counselors, and mental health professionals who provide one-on-one and group support that can help you find freedom.
At all of our rehab centers, you’ll find the most supportive environment- from the staff and fellow addicts- giving you the sense that you are not alone in this struggle. Starting with medical detox and all the way through outpatient treatment, we’ll care for your physical, emotional, and mental health needs so that you can reach sobriety, happiness, and freedom.