Ethnographers
Almost all ethnographers report that cocaine use the their
areas has stabilized. In Texas, crack has increased slightly along
the border and in Atlanta cocaine HCl use has increased while crack
has remained stable. In Baltimore, there is considerable cocaine
injection in a "speedball" combination with heroin, but less crack
use than in other areas. The Baltimore ethnographer explains that
"cocaine came late to Baltimore," and suggests that its popularity
may not have stabilized yet.
In looking at these reports, it is important to bear in mind
that in many of these areas cocaine use has leveled off, but at a
high point. For example, in Chicago, while crack use has
stabilized it is also described as "the most predominant of all
drugs, with the most diverse composition of users including all
ages, employed people, housewives, etc.". The same sentiments are
echoed by a number of other sources. Crack is a serious continuing
problem in most areas, but the number of new users and what seemed
an almost ever-increasing activity surrounding crack for several
years has begun to abate in many areas.
For example, several sources note that both crack and cocaine
HCl users seem to be an aging group. While in the initial phases
of the crack problem use was concentrated among young adults, users
now are described as in their late twenties and thirties in all
areas but Texas. In the case of El Paso, teens are combining
cocaine with marijuana, (a practice newly discovered in that area),
and often moving from this combination to smoking crack. Two areas
(Baltimore and El Paso) also report an increase in the use of
crack by women.
Sources in Chicago, El Paso, and Denver again describe various
methods of dissolving crack so that it can be injected or ingested
through some other method besides smoking. The Chicago
ethnographer suggests that this practice may have started as an
adjustment to decreased availability of cocaine HCl but gained
popularity as users found they could get a more intense high from
injecting the dissolved crack. These methods include using lemon
juice or vinegar to dissolve the piece of crack, then injecting the
solution. One drawback to this technique is the problem the
dilutants may cause (abscesses, site infections, pain) if the user
misses the target vein and injects into muscle tissue.
There is an ethnic distinction between crack and cocaine HCl
dealers many areas. Crack is more often dealt by young African
Americans or Hispanics and cocaine HCl is more often dealt by
Caucasians. Parts of the country also vary significantly as to the
availability of pre-made crack versus cocaine in the powder form.
In Chicago and Denver, there is little cocaine HCl available and
most crack is sold as "ready rock," i.e., already processed. In
New Jersey and New York, however, the reverse is true. Many crack
users buy cocaine HCl in vials and then "cook up" or process their
own crack supply. In Baltimore until recently it was common for
cocaine to be available only in powdered form and for "chefs" to be
paid for processing it into crack. Crack is now available in an
already processed form in that area.
New York sources report that many of the older, established
dealers are offering what is seen to be a poorer quality of cocaine
than the new dealers in the city. Many of these newer dealers also
deal in Colombian heroin. Established suppliers are offering a
product described by users as "gummy" or having a "bad color,"
while new sources offer far better quality cocaine. This may
signal an attempt by the Colombians to move from a market
predominated by cocaine into one that relies on both drugs, or,
ultimately, only heroin. The appearance of new dealers has also
resulted in considerable expansion in the number of places where
cocaine can be purchased.
The price of cocaine is fairly low ($60-100/gram for HCl or
$3-15/vial for crack), though availability, particularly of cocaine
HCl, differs by region. Cocaine HCl is more available in the
Northeast, but relatively scarce in Miami and Chicago. There is
also substantial variability in the purity or quality of cocaine
across the country.
Police
Of the nine police sources reporting this quarter, all but one
reported that cocaine use is stable or decreasing in their areas.
One source in Washington State reported that there has been some
increase in cocaine use, perhaps related to methamphetamine users
switching or "crossing over" to cocaine HCl, due to a decline in
the quality of methamphetamine in that area.
According to police sources, there is little change in the
composition of the generally diverse user group and crack is the
most common form of cocaine except in the Northwest, where there is
still considerable injection of cocaine HCl.
Police report regional differences in the availability of
crack and HCl. New York police report little change in price or
availability in either, while other areas like the Northwest and
Colorado describe some shortages. Prices range from $40 to $150
per gram and purity is variable.
Treatment Providers
Treatment providers continue to present a picture of leveling
off of cocaine abuse in most areas of the country. Discussion with
fifty-two treatment providers across the country indicates that the
number of clients appearing for treatment of cocaine abuse may have
stabilized. Over three-fourths of providers in each region report
that the number of cocaine abuse clients is unchanged and no one
reports an increase.
Most areas report similar profiles of users: they are from all
ethnic groups, most often in their twenties or older, and
predominantly male. Depending on the region, about a third to a
half are new to treatment. With the exception of the Western
states (Region 4) where almost a third of clients in treatment for
cocaine inject it, most cocaine treatment clients are smoking or
inhaling the drug.
