1.   Black tar is to white powder heroin what crack is to white powder cocaine.

2.   A similar amount of powder cocaine carries no mandatory minimum sentence and a maximum penalty of one year in jail.

3.   A year later, court testimony revealed that Bias had died of an overdose of powder cocaine, not crack.

4.   But powder cocaine can be bought more discreetly, often indoors from a single dealer who caters to his regular customers.

5.   But those at the top are often dealing powder cocaine, with its vastly different penalties.

6.   Christian said Hernandez had powder cocaine on him.

7.   Cocaine hydrochloride, as powder cocaine is called scientifically, is refined from alkaloids extracted from coca leaves.

8.   Had he been arrested for selling a comparable amount of powder cocaine, he may well have gotten probation.

9.   It was not clear if Coleman overdosed on heroin, crack, powder cocaine, or some combination, said Benjamin.

10.   It was based on reviews of research articles on the differences and similarities between the use of crack cocaine and cocaine hydrochloride, the medical term for powder cocaine.