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Cooking Cocaine

4/16/2019 
Two grams of crack cocaine

Crack cocaine, also known simply as crack or rockAutodesk autocad 2007 serial number. , is a free base form of cocaine that can be smoked. Crack offers a short but intense high to smokers. The Manual of Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment calls it the most addictive form of cocaine.[1] Crack first saw widespread use as a recreational drug in primarily impoverishedinner city neighborhoods in New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and Miami in late 1984 and 1985; its rapid increase in use and availability is sometimes termed as the 'crack epidemic'.[2]

Cooking with Cocaine. VICE News traveled to Medellin to meet gang members—along with top cartel leaders and assassins—who revealed the inner workings of the city's modern-day cocaine industry. Aug 13, 2014 - Monica Villamizar Since the death of notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar in 1993, the Colombian cocaine industry has undergone a dramatic.

  • 1Physical and chemical properties
  • 3Adverse effects
    • 3.1Physiological
    • 3.4Reinforcement disorders
  • 5Society and culture
    • 5.4Legal status

Physical and chemical properties

In purer forms, crack rocks appear as off-white nuggets with jagged edges,[3] with a slightly higher density than candle wax. Purer forms of crack resemble a hard brittle plastic, in crystalline form[3] (snaps when broken). A crack rock acts as a local anesthetic (see: cocaine), numbing the tongue or mouth only where directly placed. Purer forms of crack will sink in water or melt at the edges when near a flame (crack vaporizes at 90 °C, 194 °F).[1]

Crack cocaine as sold on the streets may be adulterated or 'cut' with other substances mimicking the appearance of crack cocaine to increase bulk. Use of toxic adulterants such as levamisole[4] has been documented.[5]

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Synthesis

In order for cocaine (in plastic bag at bottom) to be converted to crack, several supplies are needed. Pictured here are baking soda, a commonly used base in making crack, a metal spoon, a tealight, and a cigarette lighter. The spoon is held over the heat source in order to 'cook' the cocaine into crack.
A close up of the 'cooking' process that creates crack.

Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3, common baking soda) is a base used in preparation of crack, although other weak bases may substitute for it.[6][7] The net reaction when using sodium bicarbonate is

Coc-H+Cl + NaHCO3 → Coc + H2O + CO2 + NaCl

With Ammonium bicarbonate:

Coc-H+Cl + NH4HCO3 → Coc + NH4Cl + CO2 + H2O

With Ammonium carbonate:

2(Coc-H+Cl) + (NH4)2CO3 → 2 Coc + 2 NH4Cl + CO2 + H2O

Crack cocaine is frequently purchased already in rock form,[3] although it is not uncommon for some users to 'wash up' or 'cook' powder cocaine into crack themselves. This process is frequently done with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), water, and a spoon. Once mixed and heated, the bicarbonate reacts with the hydrochloride of the powder cocaine, forming free base cocaine and carbonic acid (H2CO3) in a reversible acid-base reaction. The heating accelerates the degradation of carbonic acid into carbon dioxide (CO2) and water. Loss of CO2 prevents the reaction from reversing back to cocaine hydrochloride. Free base cocaine separates as an oily layer, floating on the top of the now leftover aqueous phase. It is at this point that the oil is picked up rapidly, usually with a pin or long thin object. This pulls the oil up and spins it, allowing air to set and dry the oil, and allows the maker to roll the oil into the rock-like shape.

Crack vaporizes near temperature 90 °C (194 °F),[1] much lower than the cocaine hydrochloride melting point of 190 °C (374 °F).[1] Whereas cocaine hydrochloride cannot be smoked (burns with no effect),[1]crack cocaine when smoked allows for quick absorption into the blood stream, and reaches the brain in 8 seconds.[1] Crack cocaine can also be injected intravenously with the same effect as powder cocaine. However, whereas powder cocaine dissolves in water, crack must be dissolved in an acidic solution such as lemon juice or white vinegar, a process that effectively reverses the original conversion of powder cocaine to crack.

Recreational use

A woman smoking crack cocaine.

Crack cocaine is commonly used as a recreational drug. Effects of crack cocaine include euphoria,[8] supreme confidence,[9] loss of appetite,[8]insomnia,[8] alertness,[8] increased energy,[8] a craving for more cocaine,[9]and potential paranoia (ending after use).[8][10]Its initial effect is to release a large amount of dopamine,[3] a brain chemical inducing feelings of euphoria.[citation needed] The high usually lasts from 5–10 minutes,[3][8] after which time dopamine levels in the brain plummet, leaving the user feeling depressed and low.[3] When (powder) cocaine is dissolved and injected, the absorption into the bloodstream is at least as rapid as the absorption of the drug which occurs when crack cocaine is smoked,[8] and similar euphoria may be experienced.

Adverse effects

Because crack is an illicit drug, users may consume impure or fake ('bunk') drug,[5] which may pose additional health risks.

Physiological

Main physiological effects of crack cocaine

The short-term physiological effects of cocaine include[8] constricted blood vessels, dilated pupils, and increased temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. Some users of cocaine report feelings of restlessness, irritability, and anxiety. In rare instances, sudden death can occur on the first use of cocaine or unexpectedly thereafter.[8] Cocaine-related deaths are often a result of cardiac arrest or seizures followed by respiratory arrest.

Like other forms of cocaine, smoking crack can increase heart rate[11] and blood pressure, leading to long-term cardiovascular problems. Some research suggests that smoking crack or freebase cocaine has additional health risks compared to other methods of taking cocaine. Many of these issues relate specifically to the release of methylecgonidine and its effect on the heart,[11] lungs,[12] and liver.[13]

  • Toxic adulterants: Many substances may have been added in order to expand the weight and volume of a batch, while still appearing to be pure crack. Occasionally, highly toxic substances are used, with a range of corresponding short and long-term health risks. Adulturants used with crack and cocaine include milk powder, sugars such as glucose, starch, caffeine, lidocaine, benzocaine, paracetamol, amphetamine, scopolamine and strychnine.[14]
  • Smoking problems: Any route of administration poses its own set of health risks; in the case of crack cocaine, smoking tends to be more harmful than other routes. Crack users tend to smoke the drug because that has a higher bioavailability than other routes typically used for drugs of abuse such as insufflation.[citation needed] Crack has a melting point of around 90 °C(194 °F),[1] and the smoke does not remain potent for long. Therefore, crack pipes are generally very short, to minimize the time between evaporating and ingestion (thereby minimizing loss of potency).[citation needed] Having a very hot pipe pressed against the lips often causes cracked and blistered lips, colloquially known as 'crack lip'. The use of 'convenience store crack pipes'[15] – glass tubes which originally contained small artificial roses – may contribute to this condition. These 4-inch (10-cm) pipes[15] are not durable and will quickly develop breaks; users may continue to use the pipe even though it has been broken to a shorter length. The hot pipe might burn the lips, tongue, or fingers, especially when passed between people who take hits in rapid succession, causing the short pipe to reach higher temperatures than if used by one person alone.
  • Pure or large doses: Because the quality of crack can vary greatly, some people might smoke larger amounts of diluted crack, unaware that a similar amount of a new batch of purer crack could cause an overdose. This can trigger heart problems or cause unconsciousness.
  • Pathogens on pipes: When pipes are shared, bacteria or viruses can be transferred from person to person.

Crack lung

In crack users, acute respiratory symptoms have been reported, sometimes termed crack lung. Symptoms include fever, coughing up blood and difficulty breathing.[16] In the 48-hour period after use, people with these symptoms have also had associated radiographic findings on chest X-ray of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), interstitial pneumonia, diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, and eosinophil infiltration.[16]

Cocaine

Psychological

Stimulant drug abuse (particularly amphetamine and cocaine) can lead to delusional parasitosis (aka Ekbom's Syndrome: a mistaken belief they are infested with parasites).[17] For example, excessive cocaine use can lead to formication, nicknamed 'cocaine bugs' or 'coke bugs', where the affected people believe they have, or feel, parasites crawling under their skin.[17] (Similar delusions may also be associated with high fever or in connection with alcohol withdrawal, sometimes accompanied by visual hallucinations of insects.)[17]

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People experiencing these hallucinations might scratch themselves to the extent of serious skin damage and bleeding, especially when they are delirious.[10][17]

Paranoia and anxiety are among the most common psychological symptoms of crack cocaine use. Psychosis is more closely associated with smoking crack cocaine than intranasal and intravenous use.[18]

Pregnancy and nursing

'Crack baby' is a term for a child born to a mother who used crack cocaine during her pregnancy. The threat that cocaine use during pregnancy poses to the fetus is now considered exaggerated.[19] Studies show that prenatal cocaine exposure (independent of other effects such as, for example, alcohol, tobacco, or physical environment) has no appreciable effect on childhood growth and development.[20]However, the official opinion of the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the United States warns about health risks while cautioning against stereotyping:

Many recall that 'crack babies', or babies born to mothers who used crack cocaine while pregnant, were at one time written off by many as a lost generation. They were predicted to suffer from severe, irreversible damage, including reduced intelligence and social skills. It was later found that this was a gross exaggeration. However, the fact that most of these children appear normal should not be over-interpreted as indicating that there is no cause for concern. Using sophisticated technologies, scientists are now finding that exposure to cocaine during fetal development may lead to subtle, yet significant, later deficits in some children, including deficits in some aspects of cognitive performance, information-processing, and attention to tasks—abilities that are important for success in school.[21]

There are also warnings about the threat of breastfeeding: 'It is likely that cocaine will reach the baby through breast milk.'The March of Dimes advises the following regarding cocaine use during pregnancy:

Cocaine use during pregnancy can affect a pregnant woman and her unborn baby in many ways. During the early months of pregnancy, it may increase the risk of miscarriage. Later in pregnancy, it can trigger preterm labor (labor that occurs before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or cause the baby to grow poorly. As a result, cocaine-exposed babies are more likely than unexposed babies to be born with low birthweight (less than 5.5 lb or 2.5 kg). Low-birthweight babies are 20 times more likely to die in their first month of life than normal-weight babies, and face an increased risk of lifelong disabilities such as mental retardation and cerebral palsy. Cocaine-exposed babies also tend to have smaller heads, which generally reflect smaller brains. Some studies suggest that cocaine-exposed babies are at increased risk of birth defects, including urinary-tract defects and, possibly, heart defects. Cocaine also may cause an unborn baby to have a stroke, irreversible brain damage, or a heart attack.[22]

Reinforcement disorders

Tolerance

An appreciable tolerance to cocaine's high may develop, with many addicts reporting that they seek but fail to achieve as much pleasure as they did from their first experience.[8] Some users will frequently increase their doses to intensify and prolong the euphoric effects. While tolerance to the high can occur, users might also become more sensitive (drug sensitization) to cocaine's local anesthetic (pain killing) and convulsant (seizure inducing) effects, without increasing the dose taken; this increased sensitivity may explain some deaths occurring after apparent low doses of cocaine.[8]

Addiction

Crack cocaine is popularly thought to be the most addictive form of cocaine.[1] However, this claim has been contested: Morgan and Zimmer wrote that available data indicated that '..smoking cocaine by itself does not increase markedly the likelihood of dependence.. The claim that cocaine is much more addictive when smoked must be reexamined.'[23] They argued that cocaine users who are already prone to abuse are most likely to 'move toward a more efficient mode of ingestion' (that is, smoking).

The intense desire to recapture the initial high is what is so addictive for many users.[3] On the other hand, Reinarman et al. wrote that the nature of crack addiction depends on the social context in which it is used and the psychological characteristics of users, pointing out that many heavy crack users can go for days or weeks without using the drugs.[24]

Overdose

Cooking Cocaine With Ammonia

A typical response among users is to have another hit of the drug; however, the levels of dopamine in the brain take a long time to replenish themselves, and each hit taken in rapid succession leads to progressively less intense highs.[3] However, a person might binge for 3 or more days without sleep, while inhaling hits from the pipe.[10]

Use of cocaine in a binge, during which the drug is taken repeatedly and at increasingly high doses, leads to a state of increasing irritability, restlessness, and paranoia.[8] This may result in a full-blown paranoid psychosis, in which the individual loses touch with reality and experiences auditory hallucinations.[8]

Large amounts of crack cocaine (several hundred milligrams or more) intensify the user's high, but may also lead to bizarre, erratic, and violent behavior.[8] Large amounts can induce tremors, vertigo, muscle twitches, paranoia, or, with repeated doses, a toxic reaction closely resembling amphetamine poisoning.[8]

Society and culture

Synonyms

atari; base; bazooka; beamers; beemers; bebe; bee-bee; berry; bing; bolo; bomb; boulder; boulders; butter; caine; cane; Casper; Casper the ghost; cavvy; chemical; chewies; cloud; cloud nine; crills; crunch and munch; dip; famous dimes; fan; fish scale; fries; fry; glo; golfball; gravel; grit; hail; hamburger; helper; hubba; ice cube; kangaroo; kibbles and bits; kibbles; krills; lightem; paste; patico; pebbles; pee wee; pony; raw; ready; ready rocks; redi rocks; roca; rock; rooster; rox; Roxanne; scud; Scotty; scramble; scruples; seven-up; sherm; sherms; sleet; snowballs; stones; teeth; tension; top gun; tweak; ultimate; wash; white cloud; work; yahoo; yale; yay; yayoo; yeah-O; yeyo; yeo; yuck.[25]

Drug combinations

Crack cocaine may be combined with amphetamine ('croack'); tobacco ('coolie'); marijuana ('buddha'; 'caviar'; 'chronic'; 'cocoa puffs'; 'fry daddy'; 'gimmie'; 'gremmie'; 'juice'; 'primo'; 'torpedo'; 'turbo'; 'woolie'; 'woola'); heroin ('moon rock'); and phencyclidine ('clicker'; 'p-funk'; 'spacebase').[25]

Consumption

Crack smoking ('hitting the pipe'; 'puffing'; 'beaming up (to Scotty)') is commonly performed with utensils such as pipes ('bowl'; 'devil's dick'; 'glass dick'; 'horn'; 'Uzi'); improvised pipes made from a plastic bottle ('Masarati'); water pipes ('bong'; 'hubbly-bubbly'); and laboratory pipettes ('demo').[25]

Legal status

U.S. Food and Drug Administration anti-crack poster

Cocaine is listed as a Schedule I drug in the United Nations 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, making it illegal for non-state-sanctioned production, manufacture, export, import, distribution, trade, use and possession.[26] In most states (except in the U.S.) crack falls under the same category as cocaine.

Australia

In Australia, crack falls under the same category as cocaine, which is listed as a Schedule 8 controlled drug, indicating that any substances and preparations for therapeutic use under this category have high potential for abuse and addiction. It is permitted for some medical use, but is otherwise outlawed.

Canada

As a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, crack is not differentiated from cocaine and other coca products. However, the court may weigh the socio-economic factors of crack usage in sentencing. As a guideline, Schedule I drugs carry a maximum 7-year prison sentence for possession for an indictable offense and up to life imprisonment for trafficking and production. A summary conviction on possession carries a $1000–$2000 fine and/or 6 months to a year imprisonment.

United States

In the United States, cocaine is a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act, indicating that it has a high abuse potential but also carries a medicinal purpose.[27][28] Under the Controlled Substances Act, crack and cocaine are considered the same drug.

The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 increased penalties for crack cocaine possession and usage. It mandated a mandatory minimum sentence of five years without parole for possession of five grams of crack; to receive the same sentence with powder cocaine one had to have 500 grams.[29] This sentencing disparity was reduced from 100-to-1 to 18-to-1 by the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010.

Europe

In the United Kingdom, crack is a Class A drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. In the Netherlands it is a List 1 drug of the Opium Law.

Political scandals

Rob Ford, the 64th mayor of Toronto, was filmed smoking crack while he was in office. Marion Barry, Mayor of Washington D.C., was filmed smoking crack in 1990 in a sting operation.[30]

See also

Look up crack cocaine in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Crack cocaine.
  • Cocaine paste ('paco')
  • Structurally related chemicals: proparacaine, tetracaine, lidocaine, procaine, hexylcaine, bupivacaine, benoxinate, mepivacaine, prilocaine, etidocaine, benzocaine, chloroprocaine, propoxycaine, dyclonine, dibucaine, and pramoxine.

References

  1. ^ abcdefghManual of Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment, Todd Wilk Estroff, M.D., 2001 (306 pages), pp. 44–45, (describes cocaine/crack processing & melting points): p.44 has 'cannot be smoked because..melting point of 190 °C'; p.45 has 'It is the most addictive form of cocaine', webpage: [1], p. 44, at Google Books
  2. ^Reinarman, Craig; Levine, Harry G. (1997). 'Crack in Context: America's Latest Demon Drug'. In Reinarman, Craig; Levine, Harry G. (eds.). Crack in America: Demon Drugs and Social Justice. Berkeley, CA.: University of California Press.
  3. ^ abcdefghA.M. Costa Rica, July 2008, Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers.
  4. ^Kinzie, Erik (April 2009). 'Levamisole Found in Patients Using Cocaine'. Annals of Emergency Medicine. 53 (4). Retrieved 2009-08-18.
  5. ^ ab'Officials warn of life-threatening cocaine in area', Stacy O'Brien, Red Deer Advocate, December 2008, webpage: reddeer-officials[permanent dead link]: notes cocaine with the worming medicine levamisole.
  6. ^Treadwell, SD; Robinson, TG (June 2007). 'Cocaine use and stroke'. Postgraduate Medical Journal (Review). 83 (980): 389–94. PMC2600058. PMID17551070.
  7. ^'Cocaine Abuse & Addiction'. www1.nyc.gov. City of New York.
  8. ^ abcdefghijklmnop'DEA, Drug Information, Cocaine', United States DOJ Drug Enforcement Administration, 2008, webpage: DEA-cocaineArchived 2008-06-22 at the Wayback Machine.
  9. ^ abWhite Mischief: A Cultural History of Cocaine, Tim Madge, 2004, ISBN1-56025-370-3, link: [2], p. 18, at Google Books.
  10. ^ abc 'Life or Meth – CRACK OF THE 90'S', Salt Lake City Police Department, Utah, 2008, PDF file: Methlife-PDFArchived 2007-10-31 at the Wayback Machine.
  11. ^ abScheidweiler KB, Plessinger MA, Shojaie J, Wood RW, Kwong TC (2003). 'Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of methylecgonidine, a crack cocaine pyrolyzate'. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 307 (3): 1179–87. doi:10.1124/jpet.103.055434. PMID14561847. Retrieved 2008-02-24.
  12. ^Yang Y, Ke Q, Cai J, Xiao YF, Morgan JP (2001). 'Evidence for cocaine and methylecgonidine stimulation of M(2) muscarinic receptors in cultured human embryonic lung cells'. Br. J. Pharmacol. 132 (2): 451–60. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0703819. PMC1572570. PMID11159694.
  13. ^Fandiño AS, Toennes SW, Kauert GF (2002). 'Studies on hydrolytic and oxidative metabolic pathways of anhydroecgonine methyl ester (methylecgonidine) using microsomal preparations from rat organs'. Chem. Res. Toxicol. 15 (12): 1543–8. doi:10.1021/tx0255828. PMID12482236.
  14. ^Cole, Claire; Jones, Lisa; McVeigh, Jim; Kicman, Andrew; Syed, Qutub; Belis, Mark A. (2010). Cut: A Guide to Adulturants, Bulkinh Agents and other Contaminants found in Illicit Drugs. Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University. pp. 6–25.
  15. ^ abLengel, Allan (April 5, 2006). 'A Rose With Another Name: Crack Pipe'. The Washington Post. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  16. ^ abMégarbane, B; Chevillard, L (5 December 2013). 'The large spectrum of pulmonary complications following illicit drug use: features and mechanisms'. Chemico-Biological Interactions. 206 (3): 444–51. doi:10.1016/j.cbi.2013.10.011. PMID24144776.
  17. ^ abcd 'Delusional Parasitosis', The Bohart Museum of Entomology, 2005, webpage: UCDavis-delusional[permanent dead link].
  18. ^Morton, W. Alexander (August 1999). 'Cocaine and Psychiatric Symptoms'. Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 1 (4): 109–113. doi:10.4088/pcc.v01n0403. PMC181074. PMID15014683.
  19. ^Okie, Susan (2009-01-27). 'The Epidemic That Wasn't'. The New York Times.
  20. ^'Growth, Development, and Behavior in Early Childhood Following Prenatal Cocaine Exposure, Frank et al. 285 (12): 1613 – JAMA'. Jama.ama-assn.org. 2001-03-28. Retrieved 2010-12-22.
  21. ^NIDA – Research Report Series – Cocaine Abuse and AddictionArchived September 26, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  22. ^'Street Drugs and pregnancy'. March of Dimes. Retrieved 2009-05-26.
  23. ^Morgan, John P.; Zimmer, Lynn (1997). 'Social Pharmacology of Smokeable Cocaine'. In Reinarman, Craig; Levine, Harry G. (eds.). Crack in America: Demon Drugs and Social Justice. Berkeley, Ca.: University of California Press.
  24. ^Reinarman, Craig; Waldorf, Dan; Murphy, Sheigla B.; Levine, Harry G. (1997). 'The Contingent Call of the Pipe: Bingeing and Addiction Among Heavy Cocaine Smokers'. In Reinarman, Craig; Levine, Harry G. (eds.). Crack in America: Demon Drugs and Social Justice. Berkeley, Ca.: University of California Press.
  25. ^ abcTom Dalzell (2009), The Routledge Dictionary of Modern American Slang and Unconventional English, Routledge, ISBN978-0-415-37182-7
  26. ^'Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961'(PDF). International Narcotics Control Board. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2008-05-01.
  27. ^'DEA, Title 21, Section 812'. Usdoj.gov. Archived from the original on 2008-08-22. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  28. ^21 U.S.C.§ 812(b)(2)Retrieved 2008-05-01.
  29. ^Sterling, Eric. 'Drug Laws and Snitching: A Primer'. PBS. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  30. ^LaFraniere, Sharon (January 19, 1990). 'Barry Arrested on Cocaine Charges in Undercover FBI, Police Operation'. The Washington Post. p. A1.

Further reading

  • Cooper, Edith Fairman, The emergence of crack cocaine abuse, Nova Publishers, 2002
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Preview — Cooked by Jeff Henderson

Jeff Henderson was just another inner-city black kid born into a world of poverty and limited options, where crime seemed to provide the only way to get out. Raised mostly by his single mother, who struggled just to keep food on the table, Jeff dreamed big. He had to get out and he soon did by turning to what so many in his community did: dealing drugs. But Jeff was no ord..more
Published February 20th 2007 by William Morrow (first published 2007)
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Rating details

Mar 19, 2008Demetria rated it really liked it · review of another edition
I wrote a review for this book for my job, so I'll keep this short. It's an engaging, quick read that seems to be the real deal as oppossed to all those fake memoirs that have been exposed lately. Jeff Henderson's story of going from a crack dealer to a prisoner to a top-rated chef is a truly inspiring story. His writing is a little rough, but it works. I'm also not too sure how good it is to essentially have a crack recipe in the book, but the fried chicken recipe looks good. I'm gonna try it.
May 04, 2010Stacy rated it liked it
This is chef Jeff Henderson's autobiography, tracing his roots in a poor Southern Californian family to his outrageous success as a big-time crack dealer in the 80's, to his transformation during the 10 years he spent in Federal prison, where he discovered a passion for cooking, and his fight to rise to the top despite his lack of formal training in the culinary world once he was a free man again.
The book is extremely gritty in the first half or so. The average citizen would probably find the re
..more
Nov 15, 2008Sarah rated it really liked it
Recommends it for: at-risk youth, people who work with at-risk youth, and people who like uplifting life stories.
I bought this book because I had heard about Jeff Henderson's transition from drug dealer to convict to successful cheff and I thought I could use this book in my job because I teach in a prison. Something that has worried me about my students and their chances of chnging thier lives is the depth and totality of the the changes they need to make in order to stay out of prison.
Those of use who work with at-risk youth or with adjudicated youth talk a lot about choices and change but we never reall
..more
Dec 26, 2013Julia rated it it was amazing
In Cooked, Jeff Henderson recounts his unlikely rise from a crack dealer in San Diego to a well-respected chef in a prestigious Las Vegas restaurant. His ambitions and inspiration came to him while serving a drug-related sentence in federal prison, and upon his release he put 100% of his efforts into educating himself, gaining experience, and convincing influential people in the restaurant business to take a chance on him.
Jeff’s gritty memoir was fascinating to me, someone to whom most of his li
..more
This book is about a man name jeff henderson he was a big time drug dealer he carried around three thousand dollars in a louis vutton bag everyday.Shortly after he got busted he severed 6years in jail.In the process of him being in jail he had come from a person who wash dishes to a cheif.Long after he served his time he became a cheif at a five star resuant.He got married and had three chidren.This book sends a lesson that you can change your life.This alson shows that just because you got mone..more
Apr 11, 2019Daniel Battista rated it really liked it · review of another edition
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Jeff Henderson wrote an amazing book that had me rooting for him the whole time and cringing whenever he would make a bad decision in life. Jeff starts writing about his past and present and what it took to become a chef at the same time and they blend wonderfully. Even though his life his very hard the next chapter reasures you that everything will work out.
Aug 06, 2008Garrett Burnett rated it it was ok
Henderson was a crack dealer in San Diego who developed a passion for cooking while in prison and who later became a successful chef. In itself, it is an interesting story. But Henderson doesn't supply enough insight to move this beyond IHOP-level fare. It was a worthwhile story, but it could have been so much more. Maybe I'm stretching it to say that most of his reading audience has never dealt drugs or been incarcerated, yet he speaks so generally on these topics that we gain only small bits o..more
this book was a true quick read- although not for the normal reasons. it was easy to get through not because it was a page turner or a really great book, but rather it was a very simple, plain english, down to earth account of jeff henderson's life as a crack dealer in southern california, his subsequent fall and jail stint, and his eventual rise back up through the culinary world as a chef. it was pretty amazing to think that a person could have the drive to accomplish what he did after all he..more
Jul 10, 2009Katie rated it it was ok
Good story, but poorly written.
4 things Jeff Henderson is: an inspiration, an amazing chef, a role model for at-risk youth and a poster child for prison rehabilitation programs
2 things Jeff Henderson is NOT: an author, an audiobook reader
This book was in desperate need of an editor. Even in audio form, I wanted to take a red pen to this book and correct every ounce of bad grammar. Dialogue I can usually understand, but that was not the case here. This had a 'nails on the chalkboard' effect for m
..more
Nov 17, 2007Tracey rated it liked it
I heard an interview with Jeff Henderson a few weeks ago about this autobiography & picked it up from the local library.
Jeff grew up in the Los Angeles area, becoming a successful drug dealer at a very young age (late teens/early 20's) before getting busted. While in prison, he discovered an interest in cooking. He worked in the prison kitchens, picking the brains of anyone he could; then, upon his release, he worked his way from dishwasher to head chef at four-star hotels. I'm not generall
..more
I read this book in one day flat, it was incredibly engaging (and I was having a bit of lazy day). I have a weakness for memoir, and what I appreciated about this particular story was it's lack of preach-i-ness. Henderson tells it like it is (or was), and his rise from prison to a successful chef was not a fairytale. It wasn't just one lucky break, it was hard work, determination, willingness to do what it took. He had a lot of grit and lot of heart, and did not sugar coat his life or downplay t..more
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was recommended to me by a coworker, because the company I work for developed the federal bureau of prisons' RDAP, Residential Drug Abuse Program, that Henderson talks about participating in while he was incarcerated. I found the first 3/4 of the book to be very interesting. The last 1/4 or so kind of started to drag with the details of all of Chef Henderson's career roles. It's a great story of, no matter what poor choices you've made in life, you can always fin..more
Apr 05, 2015Gina Michelle rated it really liked it
Inspirational - 2 lives in 1 lifetime..
It was suggested that I read this book upon starting an Offender Workforce Development Specialist training course offered by the US Probation Dept. Chef Jeff's story has inspired me to complete the course with the confidence that I can make a difference in planning careers with ex--offenders!
Do you like the word 'motherfucker'? If so, this is the book for you! A tale of one man's redemption, it follows Henderson from the mean streets of San Diego through prison to becoming a 'top chef'. Laden with cliches and bad writing, it's only purpose appears to be to score an appearance on Oprah to share his tale.
I really liked this story, but I'm really looking forward to my kids getting older so they can read this story about a man who didn't fall prey to our 'victim culture' and bettered himself despite the trouble he got himself into.
Cooking Cocaine
Mar 18, 2019Candace rated it liked it
3.5 ☆ He spoke at conference I went to last summer, which piqued my interest in his story. At this path in my life, I appreciate his willingness to show up & learn. To move forward from his past, love/appreciate his family.
I had to read this book for school and did not expect to like it. Once I got past about 50 pages, I could not stop reading. Henderson's story is one that should be read by all young adults, in my opinion.
Interesting story of dealer to masterchef.
Very inspirational story. I like how real the story was. The author wasn't afraid to hold back what he did or how he felt.
Cooked Review
I read the book Cooked by Jeff Henderson. I picked this book because it was recommended to me by a friend. I am happy I read this book. It was a good, well rounded story. By 21 Jeff Henderson was making about $35,000 a week cooking and selling crack. He found himself in prison by 24. There he discovered a love for cooking and tried to pursue a career in culinary. I would recommend this book to young adults. Some of the content is too mature for a younger audience.
Jeff Henderson us
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Cooked
Jeff Henderson
Memoir
271 pages
copyright: 2007
isbn: 978-0-06-115390-7
Jeff Henderson was just another inner-city black kid born into a world of poverty and limited options, where crime seemed to provide the only way to get out. Raised mostly by his single mother, who struggled just to keep food on the table, Jeff dreamed big. He had to get out and he soon did by turning to what so many in his community did: dealing drugs. But Jeff was no ordinary drug dealer; by twenty-one, he was one of the
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Oct 23, 2014Natalie rated it it was ok
The material and message are fascinating and inspiring. Jeff Henderson is an interesting character with an extraordinary life, but the book was bulky and at times reads like a student assignment. We’re told time and time again that Henderson is a charmer with a PhD in Game, but his prose/ ghostwriter doesn’t capture his charisma.
For me, the most interesting part was his time in the prison system, and his shift from feeling like a victim to taking charge of his own destiny. I am sure he has given
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Sep 22, 2016AND_ rated it really liked it · review of another edition
great inspirational autobiography
This book has been my favorite book for awhile now. I have read the book about four times, to me the book is extremely inspirational. When I first received the book I wasn't set on reading it, but when I finally picked up I learned Jeff’s story. To me it felt as if he was in the room with me telling me the story. Jeff’s life has consisted of ups and downs, at first he was just a newborn baby with no worries at all. His grandfather taught him how to steal at a very young age, he was breaking into..more
Jun 16, 2008James rated it liked it
Jeff Henderson was a major drug dealer in East La during the height of the crack cocaine epidemic in the 1980's. Between his teens and twenties he lived a lavish life style that included trips to Las Vegas and the Bahamas where he'd blow 30 thousand dollars a weekend. He'd take his homies to Jamaica as a reward for their loyalty and hard work. His goal was to make money and raise his family above the poverty he grew up in. He never equated the lives he affected with the crack he slung on the str..more
Oct 04, 2013Dijonn Salgado rated it really liked it
'Cooked' by Jeff Henderson was a good book. This story would motivate anybody to strive for their dream. My favorite quote of Jeff Henderson is 'Jesus, I Know You’re Gonna Make A Way For Me'. It shows faith and with faith comes belief so that intrigue me deeper into the book. I enjoyed reading it every night to see what Jeff went through in his life. He changed his life from drug dealer turned chef.
Chef Jeff Henderson grow up in the inner city and could relate to any at risk youth. He wrote the
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Chef Jeff's story is compelling, but he tells it better in person than in this book. This prose presentation is flat and does not have the drama and charisma of his personal appearances. The story arc moves from his ghetto childhood watching grandpa steal from the bakers whose establishments he cleaned, to Jeff's (literally) high rolling life ($500 a pass) as a major cocaine dealer, to his arrest, conviction, and 10 years Federal imprisonment, where he learned to cook food as opposed to crack...more
This fellow came to talk to the youths in the Detention Center in St. Louis, where I work, about a year ago; sorry to say, I missed it, but I'm told that Mr. Henderson was quite inspiring. He gave out copies of his book to every kid in the Center, plus a lot of Staff, and that's where I got the copy I read. This is truly a story of metamorphosis, from street kid to obscenely rich drug dealer in his mid-20's to a Federal prisoner (where he learned the culinary trade) to a number of challenging co..more
Sep 06, 2014Margaret rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Shelves: memoire-biography, cooking-chefs, audio-books
Full disclosure: I don't think this is a 5-star book, but any time the author narrates the audio, especially when it's unabridged, well, that deserves an extra star right there. In this case, author Jeff Henderson's narration totally makes this book - he's terrific. It's a no holds barred, enthusiastic, brothah from the 'hood dialect reading, and is hugely entertaining as well as gripping.
The author's story is of a kid who veered into thievery early, blossomed into a wildly successful crack coca
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