Crack Cocaine

Hence the drug paraphernalia law was enacted to prohibit the use of equipment. This law was discussed when Social Worker Jeff was providing clean needles to individuals in the community who used crack/cocaine intravenously in order to reduces the spread of HIV. The use of crack cocaine is associated with high-risk sexual practices as well as the use of unclean syringes that leads to the spread of the HIV virus. Crack/cocaine was highly prevalent in the 1980s and received a wide spread of media attention. Mandatory sentencing law was passed by congress and sentencing for crack cocaine use or sale can be up to 20

hit in the 60’s and as cocaine made its way in the 70’s, it was the “it” drug of the era. It was very popular amongst celebrities, executives, athletes, and the very rich. Even with its infiltration of the nation, the federal government didn’t get as involved as it did when crack hit the streets. The DEA mostly targeted big smugglers and major dealers. Cocaine started to get a negative rap only because of the violence and killings that started to come with it. Those who were out to stop the crack epidemic had something else in mind- to target the users. The users were the same users as those who used powdered cocaine. The Drug-Abuse Act of 1986 was the law that separated crack from cocaine in the eyes of the law. When crack cocaine first

“Just Say No!” A statement that takes us deep into yet another decade in the history of the United States which was excited by controversies, social issues, and drug abuse. The topic of this statement is fueled by the growing abuse of cocaine in the mid 1980s. I shall discuss the effects of the crack cocaine epidemic of the mid 1980s from a cultural and social stand point because on that decade this country moved to the rhythms and the pace of this uncanny drug. Cocaine took its told on American society by in the 1980s; it ravaged with every social group, race, class, etc. It reigned over the United States without any prejudices. Crack cocaine was the way into urban society, because of its affordability in contrast to the powdered

Ronald Reagan, President of the United States from 1981 through 1989, created economic policies throughout his presidency that aimed to pull the United States out of a recession. His policies, called Reaganomics, reduced government spending and reduced tax rates in order to foster economic growth. Reagan also appointed many conservative judges to the Supreme Court and federal courts in order to shift ideologies to the right. Because of this, Reagan was both underrated and overrated as a president.

"Cocaine and crack are among the most addictive substances known to modern science, and they have already ruined the lives of millions of Americans" (Morganthau and Miller, 208). Cocaine and crack are both dangerous, harmful drugs. Though pleasurable effects can be obtained from these drugs, the use of crack and cocaine cannot be worth the actual consequences that are inflicted on mind and body. The bad effects of these drugs, by far outweigh the good. Because crack and cocaine are so closely related, it is important to have a firm understanding of both drugs.

Crack cocaine has been popular since the 1970s and mid 1980s. Crack cocaine is not a new drug; this drug is obtained from coca plant which grows mainly in South America. For many years, the native South American Indians chewed its leaves to develop strength and increased energy. By the 1800s, the cocaine was secluded from its leaves and used as a medicinal drug. By the late 1800s, it was used as an anesthetic and to avert surgical hemorrhage. The next century, people recognized crack cocaine an addictive narcotic and its non-medical use of the drug was ended by the Harrison Narcotics Act in 1914 (“How crack cocaine works?”).

Drugs first surfaced in the United States in the 1800s. After the Civil War opium become very popular and was used medicinally. Following opium was cocaine which was also used as a health remedy but near the end of the 19th century opium and cocaine abuse peaked and local governments began to prohibit opium dens and importation. In 1914 the first federal drug policy, the Harrison Narcotics act, is passed and drugs are no longer seen as harmless remedies. The act aggressively regulated the manufacturing of marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and morphine. During the 50’s more federal drug policies were passed and drugs began to become more criminalized. The 60’s saw a rise in counter-culture and substances such as marijuana and LSD saw widespread use. The demand for drugs skyrocketed in the 1960s. In 1971 President Nixon declared drug abuse America 's number one enemy and proclaimed that we must wave a all out offensive. After President Nixon declared the War on Drugs in 1971, the United States has spent more than a trillion dollars on this failing policy that not only has had no effect on the amount of drugs being used in the United States and has increased the number of people incarcerated on drug charges from just 50,000 to over half a million, but also has helped fuel drug cartels and foment violence and death through overdoses from uncontrolled drug potency and turf wars between street gangs.

    During Reagan’s presidency he took economics seriously. He made efforts to lower Government spending as well as regulation, taxes, and prosperity. He would lower government expenditure because it would create room to decrease taxation. By decreasing income revenue it created more money for people to spend which would stimulate the economy. Reagan fought hard for helping out the economy.

Crack users range from the Wall Street stockbroker to a homeless person living in Central Park, but by and large this evil drug called crack had its biggest impact on New York’s inner city minority population. A New York doctor, Dr. Mark Gold who is the person who set up and helps run the not for profit organization called 800-COCAINE, a hotline set up to help addicts and perspective users answer questions about the drug and also offers counseling and drug intervention services; suggested that his findings showed that, “occasional users of crack quickly increased, the amount and frequency of crack use until total dependency was achieved.” Men and women who were once law abiding citizens and honest people were now robbing and stealing to pay for the drug, and many who once enjoyed good health were now suffering from a variety of physical and mental aliments springing from their cocaine abuse. Crack brings along with its amazing high, some ominous dangers. Dr. Robert Maslansky is the director of New York City’s Bellevue Hospital

Reagan was willing to lift the morale of the country, inject optimism and lead to victory in the cold war against communism. To do so, he decided to show his mandate in the recovery of the economic welfare. He made it very clear in the speech of his inauguration: “It is my intention to curb the size and influence of the Federal government.” and averred that the secret to America’s wealth was that “here in this land we unleashed the energy and individual genius of man.” The Reaganite mission to restore popular faith in capitalism and individualism as social norms made substantial head ways in the 1980s, gains for American conservatism that liberals have not succeeded in reversing. Reagan is part of a select group of political leaders, including Thomas Jefferson and W. Wilson, whose names because watchwords for political creeds and stances toward Reagan was indeed the guy for the job as his ideals and promises couldn 't been more like what the people wanted.

President Ronald Reagan officially announced the current drug war in 1982, before crack became an issue in the media or a crisis in poor black neighborhoods. A few years after the drug war was declared, crack began to spread rapidly in the poor black neighborhoods of Los Angeles and later emerged in cities across the country. The Reagan administration hired staff to publicize the emergence of crack cocaine in 1985 as part of a strategic effort to build public legislative support for the war. The media bonanza surrounding the “new demon drug” helped to catapult the War on Drugs from an ambitious federal policy to an actual war (Alexander 5).

President Reagan wanted America to govern itself. He felt that when some prosper it would trickle down to all. He especially did not believe in big government spending programs. With his less government views

In quite a few lower-class communities, phrases like “your mom is a crack head,” or “shut up crack baby” are said jokingly to make fun of someone during what we call a “rip session.” Although said as a joke, some are very offended by the comments. Why? because for some, crack addiction hits too close to home for comfort. Seeing how easy it is obtained in lower class and poverty stricken neighborhoods, many find themselves falling victim to the powerful substance, crack cocaine. Low sociable economic systems are just one of the many factors that can lead to the use, and addiction of crack cocaine, others include movies, music, peer pressure, alcohol and cigarette ads. In this report I will discuss

In the 1980s, the United States has witnessed a scar that swept many Americans off their feet. The scar consisted of the effect that crack had on Americans in the 1980s. Many Americans believe that drugs are the main thing that is causing many social problems in society. For instance, in 2004, New York Senator Charles Schumer stated, “Twenty years ago, crack was headed east across the United States like a Mack truck out of control, and it slammed New York hard because we just didn't see the warning signs” (n.p). Therefore, crack was a serious problem during the 1980s and it was also destroying society. Due to the negative impact of crack, America began to create homeless addicts, crack babies, an increase in gang violence, and an increase

Ronald Reagan is the best republican president of all time. His form of trickle down “reaganomics” stimulated the us economy by cutting taxes and decreasing unemployment. He also was not shy about