Crack cocaine, commonly shortened to crack, is a free base version of cocaine a drug that has been used in various forms in south america for centuries. Cocaine originated from south america, from coca leaves. Early 1930s japan is the worlds leading cocaine producer 23. By then, it had the reputation of americas most dangerous and addictive drug. Crack cocaine first appeared in miami, where caribbean immigrants taught adolescents the technique of converting powdered cocaine into crack. Crack cocaine is made by dissolving powdered cocaine in a mixture of water and baking soda sodium bicarbonate or ammonia. The following is a condensed history of cocaine in the united states, leading up to the creation of crack cocaine. Crack epidemic, the significant increase in the use of crack cocaine, or crack, in the united states during the early 1980s.
The coca plant has been used as a stimulant by the native people of south america for many centuries, but it wasnt until 1859 that modern cocaine was developed as a drug in germany. The crack epidemic the history of crack cocaine drugfree. Cocaine in its various forms is derived from the coca plant which is native to the high mountain ranges of south america. Cocaine has a long history of availability and abuse around the world the us being no exception. The history of cocaine where does cocaine come from. A complete history of crack cocaine march 28, 2018 substance abuse 0 comments crack cocaine, commonly shortened to crack, is a free base version of cocaine a drug that has been used in various forms in south america for centuries. But it is the long history of drug production and distribution in latin americaand the enduringly strong demand for narcotics in the united statesthat best helps to explain why the war on drugs has resulted in so few battles won and has come at such a. In selfreport of cocaine, 54% reported cocaine and 31% crack use. Crack could also be smoked much more easily, requiring a temperature of only 194f to vaporize. This mixture is boiled, dried, and broken into rocklike chunks.
The largest explosion of crack cocaine users originally occurred in the late 1980s with the spread of crack around the usa. The crack epidemic the history of crack cocaine drugfree world. A drug dealers dream, crack cocaine was a cash cow that took hold of many innercity, low socioeconomic households in the united states. This creates a short high, followed by tiredness, depression, panic, anxiety, and brain damage. The crack epidemic had particularly devastating effects. Jun 23, 2017 learn about the militarygrade tactics police in l. This resulted in a number of social consequences, such as increasing crime and violence in american inner city neighborhoods. While the use of coca leaves as an intoxicant dates back three thousand years, crack cocaine, a crystallized form of cocaine, was developed during the cocaine boom of the 1970s and its use spread in the. Rock cocaine, street capitalism, and the decade of greed, david farber, distinguished professor of history at the university of kansas, places the epidemic in the context of americas. History of crack cocaine cocaine hydrochloride is extracted from the leaves of the coca plant erythroxylon coca, which is ndigenous to the andean highlands of south america. Mar 28, 2018 crack cocaine, commonly shortened to crack, is a free base version of cocaine a drug that has been used in various forms in south america for centuries.
Incas supercoke gabaergics coca leaves acupuncture cocaine hotspots dopaminergic flies. By 1985, cocainerelated hospital emergencies rose by 12 percent, from. Small doses of it are smoked into the lungs and delivered quickly to the brain. Aug 31, 2018 nick schou is author of kill the messenger. It is one of the most highly additive and destructive drugs in the world. The history of cocaine from ancient to modern day abuse. Pure cocaine was first isolated in the midnineteenth century, but its effects werent recognized in the. Cocaine stems from the leaves of the coca plant, native to south americas andes mountain range. Statement of the problem crack became popular in the 1980s due to its psychopharmacological properties and it. The name crack first appeared in the new york times on november 17, 1985. Crack has a modified chemical structure which allows it to reach the brain more quickly and produce a more intense high, allowing crack to have a greater potential for addiction. The original cocaine comes from a paste made from the leaves of the south american coca plant. The buyers a social history of americas most popular drugs. However, much of this changed during the 1970s and 1980s.
As a form of cocaine, crack derives from the leaves of the coca plant. A survey of its history reveals that cocaine has been used by a diverse spectrum of people. Cocaine is derived from the coca plant native to the andean highlands of south america. Cocaine in america history of crack rocks coco in the. By 1985, cocaine related hospital emergencies rose by 12 percent, from. Crack cocaine addiction epidemic history gatehouse. For many years, the native south american indians chewed its leaves to develop strength and increased energy. Traditionally, cocaine was a rich mans drug, due to the large expense of a cocaine habit. A complete history of crack cocaine drug rehab options. Natives of the andes mountains have used the plants containing cocaine s active ingredient for medicinal and recreational purposes for at least fifteen centuries. Crack epidemic united states history 1980s britannica. People used to taking cocaine would take an equivalent amount of crack and overdose, and hospital admissions due to cocaine overdose doubled in a year.
Richard nixon declared drug abuse to be public enemy number one and increased federal funding for drugcontrol agencies and drugtreatment efforts. A person trafficking 500 to 5,000 grams of cocaine powder or 28 to 279 grams of cocaine base crack cocaine can receive a 5 to 20year prison sentence for a first offense. In its extracted and purified form, it is one of the most potent stimulants of natural origin drug enforcement agency dea, 1995. Learn more about the history of cocaine and crack, how history has reshaped the reputation of the drugs, and how the legal system handles sentencing differently by drug type and race. The cocaine that flooded in helped spark a crack explosion in urban america and provided the cash and connections needed for l. Crack is an essential read for anyone hoping to understand why. In the mid 1980s crack emerged as a dangerous form of cocaine. Crack became a popular alternative to cocaine in urban and workingclass areas because it was much cheaper than cocaine. The buyers a social history of americas most popular. Rise of cocaine and crack cocaine in the united states today. The effect that cocaine had on william halsted, whom the new york times calls both the founder of modern american surgery and a lifelong drug addict, heralded the end of the cocaine honeymoon. Cocaine hydrochloride was, and is, a comparably expensive drug.
Cocaine in america history of crack rocks coco in the united states prime history crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. History of crack cocaine the recovery village ridgefield. Pure cocaine is extracted from the leaf of the erythroxylon coca bush found mostly in south america. Crack, a form of cocaine that is sold as rocks and smoked, first appeared in large u. Cocaine comes from the leaf of the coca tree, which is grown in south america, normally columbia, bolivia and peru. Cocaine and its exquisitely addictive influence stand as such powerful points of reference in american culture that when a 20 study suggested that oreo cookies were as addictive as cocaine, the findings made thousands of headlines, according to the huffington post.
Cocaines role in american history cocaine was first synthesized in 1855. In the mid1980s, a new form of cocaine, known as crack cocaine, hit the streets. Natives of the andes mountains have used the plants containing cocaines active ingredient for medicinal and recreational purposes for at least fifteen centuries. American pharmacist john stith pemberton founded cocacola in 1886 with a beverage concoction of cocaine and sugary syrup. In the late 1980s, americans came to believe that illegal drugs were the nations biggest problem. How the cias crack cocaine controversy destroyed journalist gary webb nation books, 2006 and also appears in the upcoming history limited series. Cocaine is a drug derived from the south american coca plant erythoxylon coca. The name crack is derived from the crackling sound this form of cocaine makes when burned. While the use of coca leaves as an intoxicant dates back three thousand years, crack cocaine, a crystallized form of cocaine, was developed during the cocaine boom of the 1970s and its use spread in the mid1980s. Crack cocaine was first introduced to the united states in the early 1980s, going on to become an epidemic with. It began in 1971 when president richard nixon declared drug abuse to be public enemy number one and increased funding for drug control.
From the earliest incas in what is modernday peru, to the nineteenthcentury medical elites of europe and america, to the crimeridden streets and crack houses of u. The manual of adolescent substance abuse treatment calls it the most addictive form of cocaine. History of the crack cocaine essay examples 761 words. In 1985, crack sold for about five dollars a rock in most cities. We experienced a surge in cocaine popularity in the 1970s. Cocacola at first sold only at racially segregated soda fountains. Crack cocaine was first introduced to the united states in the early 1980s, going on to become an epidemic with millions of users and contributing to over 25,000 hospitalizations a year throughout the 80s and early 90s. The crack epidemic in the united states was a surge of crack cocaine use in major cities across the united states between the early 1980s and the early 1990s. By the late 1980s, cocaine was no longer thought of as the drug of choice for the wealthy. By then, it had the reputation of americas most dangerous and addictive drug, linked with poverty, crime and death. War on drugs, the effort in the united states since the 1970s to combat illegal drug use by greatly increasing penalties, enforcement, and incarceration for drug offenders the war on drugs began in june 1971 when u. Cocaine was the perfect drug for young people who wanted to work hard all day and party all night.
Crack cocainea crystallized form of the drugbecame popular in the. Celebrities used cocaine at high rolling, glamorous parties. The stimulating effects of the drug increase breathing which increases oxygen intake. However, there are legitimate medical uses for cocaine as a topical anesthetic used in certain head, neck and respiratory tract procedures, as well as a potent vasoconstrictor to help reduce bleeding of the mucous membranes in the. Cocaine was still considered to be a drug of the wealthy as it was very expensive to purchase. Crack is a relatively new drug on the scene compared to drugs like opium or heroin. This plant, native to south america, has been used for its pleasurable effects for thousands of years. Crack cocaine could be obtained for the same price at purities of around 80 percent. This was to benefit the workers so they could work longer hours and be more productive.
The coca leaves were used by natives of this region and acted upon the user as a stimulant. This article describes signs and symptoms of crack cocaine and suggested treatment plans that include detoxification, therapy, and aftercare. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia. As the old millennium was traded for the new one, cocaine abuse statistics fluctuated year to year. According to the us drug enforcement agency, by the late 1970s there was a huge glut of cocaine powder being shipped into the united states. Americas crack plague has roots in nicaragua war gary webb. Between 1992 and 2000, crack cocaine grew in dominance and powder cocaine shrank. When the first crack house was discovered in miami in 1982, it drew little.
Arrests at a federal level for powder cocaine dropped from 6,671 in 1992 to 5,241 in 2000, while those for crack cocaine more than doubled to 4,706. Origin and history pure cocaine is extracted from the leaf of the erythroxylon coca bush found mostly in south america. Can you believe that there were even advertisements for paraphernalia and other items such as calendars with cocaine in them. Crack cocaine was first introduced to the united states in the early 1980s, going on to become an epidemic with millions of users and contributing to over 25,000 hospitalizations a year. But its beginnings were mired in racism, in some cases forcing cocaine use on black slaves and workers for increased production. Americas crack plague has roots in nicaragua war gary. The rise of cocaine and crack cocaine in the us today. The crack epidemic the history of crack cocaine drug. But perhaps the defining moment in the history of cocaine in the united states was the crack epidemic. The igs report cleared the cia of complicity with the innercity crack cocaine trade. Originally, the coca leaves were chewed by workers to decrease fatigue, improve endurance and have a greater resistance to the cold. The coca plant is one of the oldest cultivated plants in south america. The difference between powder cocaine and crack cocaine from that time on, the history of cocaine really started to develop as freud published an article which proclaimed cocaine as the magical substance that could be accepted for a wide range of benefits including its ability to reduce many ailments and cure various problems.
Crack cocaine is a potent form of cocaine, which is a drug derived from the coca plant from south america. There is a significant difference in how crack cocaine is perceived vs. This lively, wellresearched history of americas crack cocaine years introduces readers to entrepreneurial dealers, desperate users, and draconian drug policies. Mar 31, 2019 another reason for the rise of cocaine and crack cocaine in the us today is the fact that colombia is producing more coca the plant that produces cocaine than ever before. War on drugs, the effort in the united states since the 1970s to combat illegal drug use by greatly increasing penalties, enforcement, and incarceration for drug offenders. The effect of increased temperature on the rate of cocaine metabolism in blood. Between 1880 and 1930, we may assert that cocaine had taken the place of the universal panacea of the middle ages, the theriaca. Within a year more than a thousand press stories had been released about the drug. Racial and ethnic diversity among a heroin and cocaine.
Sep 19, 2016 cocaine in america history of crack rocks coco in the united states prime history crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. Jul 29, 2019 crack cocaine is made by dissolving powdered cocaine in a mixture of water and baking soda sodium bicarbonate or ammonia. Crack cocaine was popularized because of its affordability, its immediate euphoric effect, and its high profitability. The history of cocaine shows that as drugrelated crime escalated dramatically, legal penalties for sales of cocaine and crack were increased, and u. Crack cocaine has been popular since the 1970s and mid 1980s. Dopaminergic agents the cokecraving brain cocaine in north america sigmund freud and cocaine coca consumption in history. In the early 1980s, the majority of cocaine being shipped to the united states was landing in miami, and originated in the bahamas and dominican republic. Crack, a highly addictive form of cocaine, began appearing in the 1980s and has been widely abused all over the us and the world.
The shifting terrain of latin american drug trafficking. It is one of the most bizarre alliances in modern history. The crack epidemic in the united states was a surge of crack cocaine use in major cities across the united states between the early 1980s. Just like in the cocaine crisis of 1905 where african american laborers were blamed for pretty much every crime, the media seized the stats and started disseminating hysteria, and much of it was aimed at poor african americans living in innercity areas.