ABSTRACT
One of the biggest barriers to treatment for crack cocaine users has been the undeniably strong stereotypes associated with crack use. These stereotypes are most commonly rooted in historical racism, attitudes to poverty and the fear that these issues bring when associated with inaccurate and sensationalist reporting by the media. Crack cocaine is a different drug when compared to opiates and services need to acknowledge that national policies and practice have predominately reflected the needs of opiate users leading to imbalances in provision within generic treatment providers. The 'high' experienced by a person taking crack or cocaine is produced by a chemical called dopamine. The combination of increased adrenaline levels and low dopamine levels after a period of using can produce the feelings of being 'wired' or 'prang'. Crack cocaine use can be associated with high levels of health complaints, drug related deaths and also an increase in criminal involvement.
