Crack Cocaine Statistics in the United States
Crack Cocaine Statistics in the United States
We experienced a surge in cocaine popularity in the 1970s. It reached its peak in the 1980s. Celebrities used cocaine at high rolling, glamorous parties. Can you believe that there were even advertisements for paraphernalia and other items such as calendars with cocaine in them? And this is when President Richard Nixon had waged a war on drugs. However, he was mainly concerned with marijuana and heroin at the time. Therefore, the rise of cocaine and crack cocaine took place.
Cocaine use in the 1970s was mainly among wealthy individuals in society due to the high cost of the drug. Cocaine is a stimulant drug. Therefore, most people believe it to be relatively safe similar to amphetamines.
Crack Cocaine Statistics
Crack cocaine is a crystallized form of cocaine. It came on the scene during the boom of cocaine in the 1970s and 1980s. Crack looks like small white rocks which are irregularly shaped. Users heat and smoke the rocks. The name “crack” comes from the crackling sound it makes when heated.
Throughout the 1980s, cocaine dominated the market. Hence, dealers were not making as much money off of their product. Therefore, they decided to cut the cocaine with ammonia or baking soda to lower costs and increase profits. This process was the beginning of crack cocaine. Crack was more available to lower-income individuals than powder cocaine.
The Rise of Cocaine and Crack Cocaine Today
Another reason for the rise of cocaine and crack cocaine in the US today is the fact that Colombia is producing more coca (the plant that produces cocaine) than ever before. In fact, the drug cartels in Colombia are pressuring farmers to produce coca in place of other local crops. However, there is also a good side to this equation for the farmers. They make much more money farming coca than they do other local crops.
Crack Cocaine in The United States
Colombia remains the major provider of cocaine to the United States. And, their coca production increased by 42% only from 2014 until 2015. According to UNODC‘s (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) Coca Cultivation Survey Report for Colombia, coca cultivation in Colombia reached the highest ever recorded figure of 171,000 hectares in 2017, which is the equivalent of 422,550 acres.
Cocaine is smuggled into the United States by land, sea, and air through Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health:
For whatever reasons, whether it’s the availability of the drug or fear of other drugs, the rise of cocaine and crack cocaine is back on in the United States today. Many fatalities happen because some dealers are cutting the cocaine with fentanyl just as they’ve done with heroin.
Cocaine Addiction Treatment in the United States
If you are addicted to cocaine (or any other substance), seek professional inpatient addiction treatment before you, too, become a fatality. We have a compassionate and caring staff at A Forever Recovery that can attend to all of your needs. To learn more about our facility and how we can design a treatment program for your individual needs and preferences, please contact one of our representatives today. They can answer any questions you may have. Call now at
- nixonfoundation.org – Public Enemy Number One: A Pragmatic Approach to America’s Drug Problem
- dea.gov – Cocaine
- dea.gov – Fentanyl
- unodc.org – Coca Crops in Colombia at an all-time high, UNODC Report Finds
- state.gov – International Narcotics Control Strategy Report
- drugabuse.gov – What is the Scope of Cocaine Use in the United States?
