The problem drug of the 1980's, cocaine
is still a big factor in the drug world today. Derived from the
leaves of the South American coca plant for its stimulant-euphoriant
effects, cocaine has long ranked among the priciest drugs on
the street. But when it emerged in a cheap, smokable form known
as crack in the '80s, it suddenly became one of the most dangerous.
Usually snorted as a powder (although
it can be injected), cocaine produces a brief blast (30-60 minutes)
of effects similar to other stimulants.
Crack squeezes the entire experience
into an even smaller unit of time, triggering a lightning-like
high lasting 3-5 minutes, leaving the user craving more.
More than anything, crack turned
cocaine into a problem for young people. Sold in small chunks
for as little as $3-5 each, crack seemed tailor-made to the budgets
of younger-age and lower-income users, who could afford a few
chunks of crack more readily than high-priced powder cocaine.
If it was a conscious choice,
the marketing plan worked better than the one devised for the
"New Coke," which was also released at the time. Cocaine-related
emergencies and deaths soared throughout the 1980's and early
'90s and crack is the reason why.
Cocaine's dangers are identical
to those produced by other stimulant drugs, and psychological
dependence develops easily, particularly with crack.
