Crack Abusers and Noncrack Abusers: Profiles of Drug Use,Drug Sales and Nondrug Criminality

Abstract

Based on more than one thousand interviews with drug abusers in 1988 and 1989, the drug use patterns, selling behavior, and other crimes (robbery, burglary theft, etc.) of crack abusers are compared with those of heroin injectors, cocaine snorters, marijuana-only users, and nondrug users. Several striking differences in the frequency of crack use and dealing emerge among the various drug user types. Crack abusers were found to be using drugs at high rates and were receiving high incomes from drug sales and nondrug criminality. Among crack abusers, crack use greatly exceeded the cost and frequency of use of other specific drugs, which they were also consuming. For all user subgroups, crack selling was the most frequent crime and generated the largest cash income. Important patterns of polydrug use were found among most drug user groups. These findings have important implications for policies directed toward drug abusers.