The homicide rate for black males aged 14-17 more than doubled between 19. The life expectancy of young black males heavily dropped, compared to the young white males. The violence created a merciless cycle of murder. The intense competition for the same customers in such a highly profitable trade brought despair to African American communities. The “economic investments” could not be defended through legal means, and street violence was the only way. Gang violence became the primary means of establishing and maintaining property rights. Street gangs, being the logical sellers of crack, controlled outdoor spaces. Violence rose because of how small-time drug dealers, under the control of gangs, defending their territory. Street gangs rose to infamous prominence and that meant a lot of blood was spilled on the streets as gang violence surged.
HOW IS CRACK COCAINE MADE CRACK
The popularity of cocaine was due to its cheap prices, (and big profits for the drug dealers) and its instant euphoric effect which made customers chase for more crack – which is also known as “chasing the rock”. Everyone could afford cocaine by that time because of crack’s luring affordability. New York City, Los Angeles, Detroit, Philadelphia among many became the epicenters in the business of producing and distributing crack cocaine. Young women with a vast reservoir of potential too were damaged by crack.Īnd other cities got it too. Young black males who were brimming with potential had their lives wasted to drugs and long prison sentences. Crack cocaine is highly addictive, it has a quick euphoric effect and by then the trade of crack cocaine was hugely lucrative.Īddictions, deaths, drug-related crimes (robberies, aggravated assault, homicides, etc.) and extremely harsh prison sentences destroyed African American communities in ways never seen before. It was cheap and offered an instant opportunity at money for young black males who came from poor families. The most affected by the crack epidemic which took root in the early 1980s were African Americans. The crack epidemic in the United States, mostly in the inner city neighborhoods (low-income residential districts in the US) left an aftermath of destruction socially and economically. But the cheaper version of this cocaine, called crack/crack cocaine went rampant in black communities and orchestrated a deadly war on life. Previously, there had been few instances of (powder) cocaine in black neighborhoods because of its high price. The advent of the devastating drug in the form of crack cocaine on black communities in the United States of America still has long-lasting effects.