User:Brxbrx/Crack epidemic
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[edit] Crack
Crack cocaine is a smokeable form of the stimulant drug cocaine. It is manufactured from regular cocaine along with a weak base, usually baking soda.
The effects of smoking crack are euphoria, loss of appetite, insomnia, and alertness for up to ten minutes.[1] Crack also affects the cardiovascular system, increasing blood pressure and heart rate. Larger amounts have other, more serious effects like erratic behavior and vertigo.
[edit] Adulterants
Crack is often sold mixed with a similar looking substance, to improve the appearance or increase the volume. Different adulterants can have different effects, which is of concern when an adulterant is toxic. For example, levamisole has been documented as a used aldulterant.[2] Levamisole can greatly weaken the immune system.
Despite the use of adulterants, crack cocaine is more potent than regular cocaine, and small quantities of cocaine can be turned into larger quantities of crack.[3]
[edit] prevalence
In the 80's crack cocaine was initially only popular with middle class users in Miami. Due to its cheap cost, though, it quickly spread to lower income neighborhoods.[3]
[edit] origin
[edit] government spreads it conspiracy
to anyone driving by: yes, this section lacks references. those are to come There have been allegations that the US government, specifically the CIA, is responsible for distributing crack in the ghettoes in an effort to destroy lower income populations. This theory has been endorsed by public figures like Jeremiah Wright, various rappers,[citation needed]
[edit] Contras
While there's not much to indicate a conspiracy to kill off the poor with drugs, there is evidence that in order to support the contras, the CIA did in fact transport cocaine into the United States. It seems that when congress refused to fund them further, the Reagan and Bush administrations assisted the contras to procure money through other means- like trafficking cocaine for the columbians
[edit] Legality as opposed to cocaine
arguments for disparity legislation against it
[edit] Footnotes
- ↑ "DEA, Drug Information, Cocaine", United States DOJ Drug Enforcement Agency, 2008, webpage: DEA-cocaine.
- ↑ "Officials warn of life-threatening cocaine in area", Stacy O'Brien, Red Deer Advocate, December 2008, webpage: reddeer-officials: notes cocaine with the worming medicine levamisole.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "DEA History Book, 1876–1990" (drug usage & enforcement), US Department of Justice, 1991, USDoJ.gov webpage: DoJ-DEA-History-1985-1990.