Crack Cocaine Trends In 1996

Crack cocaine trends in 1996 continues to dominate as the Nation\s primary illicit drug problem.

Indicator data show a leveling off in many urban areas: cocaine-related deaths were stable or up slightly in 6 of the 8 areas where such information was reported; emergency department (ED) mentions increased in only 3 of the 20 Community Epidemiology Work Group (CEWG) cities in the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN); the percentage of treatment admissions for cocaine addiction declined slightly or remained stable in 13 of the 15 areas where data were available; and prices remained stable or declined slightly in most areas. Supplies remain abundant in nearly every city.

Cocaine continues to be frequently used in combination with other drugs in some cities, including heroin and marijuana in Atlanta and Philadelphia, and methamphetamine in Denver. Demographic data continue to show most cocaine users as older, inner-city crack cocaine addicts; only in Miami were any new using populations reported this period. One final cocaine trend that is significant to this study was the disapproval of taking cocaine powder occasionally increased among 8th graders.

Information released by the National Institute on Drug Abuse

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