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Substance Abuse Increasing In Inner-city Minorities Essay

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Substance Abuse Increasing in Inner-City Minorities

Substance abuse is an ever increasing epidemic facing America's inner- city minorities. There are several different drugs that are gaining popularity amongst inner-city youths 1. Juice, that is marijuana soaked in embalming fluid is starting to show up in more and more inner east coast cities 2. Crack or rock cocaine is by far one of the most addicting drugs out there, it's been engulfing
America's inner-cities since the early 80's 3. Heroin, is also making a comeback
4. Alcohol and marijuana are still very popular in the lower and upper classes 5.
There are some very distinctive differences in the substance abuse seen in the less fortunate classes and the …show more content…

To get an accurate perceptive of substance abuse in an inner city environment, I conducted an interview with T.J, an 18 year old black crack addict from uptown Manhattan.

Here are some excerpts from our conversion.

Me: How did you start using drugs?

T.J: It started when I was about 11 smokin' weed. After a while weed wasn't getting me high enough. So I searched for a new thing then I found the big boy
(crack). My first time smokin' crack, I bought a five dollar rock off this nigga on 115th and Saint Nicks. I went back to my rest and smoked that shit up. I loved the high. It took me to another planet and shit. The next day I went back and bought a ten dollar rock and it hasn't stopped since.

Me: How long ago was that?

T.J: Three years, kid.

Me: What has your crack addiction done to your life?

T.J: What life? Crack is my life. My moms won't talk to me. My family, if they see me they don't say shit. My only friend is my pipe. I done stole shit from my moms, my boys and just almost anybody I come across. If I don't get my shit for a while I start shaking. It's like food for me. I need it to survive.

Me: Did you finish high school?

T.J: Naw kid, like five months after I hit the pipe I dropped out.

Me: What are you trying to do about you problem?

T.J: Well right now I'm in Detox. I'm trying to get my life back on track. It's mad hard though.

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