crack cocaine - search results

Kevin Flemen runs the drugs education and training initiative, KFx Could a recent growth in crack cocaine use indicate its move to social acceptability – and how should we respond? Kevin Flemen examines the situation. Read the full article in the June 2018 issue of DDN Stigma-driven barriers between powder cocaine and crack may be breaking […]

[…] to educate increasingly affluent young people with disposable incomes about the risk of misuse. NTA treatment strategy Notes from the Alliance Methadone and beyond Cover story | Crack cocaine www.drinkanddrugs.net 6| drinkanddrugsnews| 5 September 2005 which Turning Point say risks fur ther alienating black and minority ethnic users who often feel excluded from existing ser […]

At the end of the 1980s the threat of a crack epidemic in the UK loomed large as we scrambled to take heed of dire warnings from America. Mike Ashton and Natalie Davies delve into the Findings Effectiveness Bank to separate fact from fiction. In its various guises, no drug has widely been considered […]

[…] here as well as the Jobcentre Plus staff developing together gives a much better understanding so it’s less likely that these very vulnerable individuals fall through the cracks. And to have a service user here as well, and to see the clients are involved in this and are feeding back their experiences and informing […]

[…] five different prescription drugs for his depression and mood swings, plus methadone that was supposed to be instead of heroin, but he was also using skunk, cocaine, crack, LSD, ketamine, GHB and heroin regularly – and anything else he could afford. He had tried every single drug available. The psychiatrist decided he must have […]

[…] five different prescription drugs for his depression and mood swings, plus methadone that was supposed to be instead of heroin, but he was also using skunk, cocaine, crack, LSD, ketamine, GHB and heroin regularly – and anything else he could afford. He had tried every single drug available. The psychiatrist decided he must have […]

[…] be sociable or cool, to be like their friends, and on special occasions. Findings suggested that there is a positive drinking culture among young people. Heroin and crack cocaine wereregarded negatively by vulnerable young people, particularly if drug users shared injecting equipment. Sharing needles was regarded as high-risk behaviour which often leads to blood borne […]

[…] problem heroin use was appropriate for enforcement relating to drug market and supply, and as a reason for significantly uplifting treatment provision. With the subsequent spread of crack cocaine and merging of heroin and crack markets and the gradual creation of the heroin and crack user, the classic ‘PDU’, or problem drug user, became central […]

[…] critical of government plans to withhold benefits from drug users who do not seek treatment and launch fraud investigations against claimants failing to declare their heroin or crack cocaine use. Agencies have described the proposals set out in the Department of Work and Pensions’ (DWP) green paper, No one written off,as ‘punitive’, ‘unworkable’ and ‘discriminatory’ […]

[…] is skewed by narrow options’ Care management and commissioning were being skewed by criminal justice agencies’ focus on problem drug users – PDUs, defined as heroin or crack cocaine users – and this was having the effect of discounting more logicaloptions, concluded a group led by Fran Holgate of Compass. Treatment agencies were getting twice […]

[…] is skewed by narrow options’ Care management and commissioning were being skewed by criminal justice agencies’ focus on problem drug users – PDUs, defined as heroin or crack cocaine users – and this was having the effect of discounting more logicaloptions, concluded a group led by Fran Holgate of Compass. Treatment agencies were getting twice […]

This year’s HIT Hot Topics conference delved into neuroscience to challenge our perceptions of drugs and drug taking. Max Daly reports  The fervour around crack cocaine reached such a level of hype in the US in the 1980s, neuroscientist Dr Carl Hart told the 2014 HIT Hot Topics conference, that at one point black civil […]

[…] the facts Are drug and alcohol ser vices accessing and engaging black and minority ethnic users in treatment? Roseanne Sweeney looks at the evidence. 10 Book review Crack Cocaine: The open door 11 A year in headlines From preparing for a new drug strategy andbattling with budgets, to getting problem drinking taken seriously, there was […]

[…] ongratulated entrants on making FRANK accessible to more young people and providing their parents, carers, and families with credible information. Beds DAT scoops first FRANK award A crack cocaine strategy for L ondon was launched this week – the first strategic regional r esponse to the drug in the UK. The strategy is from GLADA, […]

[…] congratulated entrants on making FRANK accessible to more young people and providing their parents, carers, and families with credible information. Beds DAT scoops first FRANK award A crack cocaine strategy for London was launched this week – the first strategic regional response to the drug in the UK. The strategy is from GLADA, the Greater […]

[…] ser vice user spoke about his experience of being labelled ‘intentionally homeless’ when he had moved out of his flat when it was being used as a crack house. He was left with no other choice than to access emergency accommodation in a local hostel and had since been refused access to social housing. […]

[…] associated with poor hygiene, according to a new report from the Health Protection Agency. Shooting up: infections among injecting drug users in the UKalso found that injecting crack cocaine, and injecting into the groin, both associated with higher levels of infection and risk, had become more common. The report revealed that almost 75 per cent […]

[…] Derbyshire DAAT 6 November 2006 News Round-upCall for higher alcohol taxes •Euromed bursary winner announced •Locals have say on binge-drinkers •UK supports Columbian campaign against cocaine • Crack cocaine blamed for rise in HIV • Many ignorant of effects of hepatitis B • Media watch 4 Features Cover story Tell it like it is!What are […]

[…] man is 57 times more likely to be sent to prison on drug charges than a white man. The disparity in punishment for possession of powder and crack cocaine is further evidence of racism in US drug policy. Whilst a first time offender convicted of possessing more than five grams of crack receives a mandatory […]

Aggressive marketing by dealers and a change in attitudes towards the drug were among the reasons for increasing levels of crack cocaine use in England, according to a new investigative report from Public Health England (PHE) and the Home Office. Crack has become increasingly available and affordable in recent years, following a surge in cocaine […]

[…] London many mid- level dealers took to smoking base on tin foil, often in combination with heroin. But the drug never acquired the highly charged notoriety of crack cocaine; indeed, in the UK it appeared to be little known to the media. Its US profile was somewhat higher, but remained associated with the experimental hedonism […]

[…] compulsor y capacity, to conclude that ser vices are not designed to understand or meet their basic needs. This is exemplified in the case of the black crack cocaine user who is most likely to have initial contact with drug ser vices through either the mental health or criminal justice systems. To change this trend […]

[…] use of drugs in society. However, I would take issue with the idea that it is ‘stigma’ which leads to far fewer people experimenting with heroin and crack than cannabis. Most sur veys reveal that it is fear of the health consequences that inhibit use, not any sense of ‘stigma’. Can there be any […]

[…] to make them go back to it,’ she points out. But for those who are ready to accept help, the change can be dramatic. Naz was a crack cocaine user when he came into Lancaster three years ago, and had no ambition beyond getting back to a drug that dominated his every waking moment. ‘Before […]

[…] for child- focused services A rise of 30 per cent in the number of people seeking treatment for drug addiction has been reported by treatment charity Addaction. A proportion of the data, which covers 70 services in 46 locations, will be fed into the National Data Monitoring System (NDTMS) to enable the government and NationalTr eatment Agency to monitor new trends. More than 5,000 new clients made contact with services in 2004-5 than in the previousy ear – a total of 22,655 people seeking treatment. Craig Moss, who manages the data programme, said the exercise revealed trends of drug use in different areas: ‘We are seeing a rise in  crack cocaine use in the Midlands, whereas earlier data showed concentrations of crack cocaine had principally been in London.  While reluctant to make assumptions, Mr Moss said there were indications that the national Drugs Intervention Programme had had an effect, as ‘referral pathways are being cleared and responsiveness is improving’.  Analysis of groups accessing Addaction services showed that the main substance used by White British clients was heroin at 43 per cent, followed by alcohol at 31 per cent. Crack cocaine was the favoured drug of BlackC aribbean clients at 37 per cent, followed by cannabis at 21 per cent. Bengali clients showed more heroin usage at 78 per cent, but a low level of alcohol use. Addaction reports 30 per cent rise in […]

[…] people seeking treatment. Craig Moss, who manages the data programme, said the exercise revealed trends of drug use in different areas: ‘We are seeing a rise in crack cocaine use in the Midlands, whereas earlier data showed concentrations of crack cocaine had principally been in London. While reluctant to make assumptions, Mr Moss said there […]

[…] in England, according to Women in drug treatment: what the latest figures reveal. The trend is offset by rising numbers of people entering treatment for cocaine and crack cocaine, the NTA acknowledges. The number of women entering treatment for crack is up by 14 per cent since 2005, while the number seeking treatment for cocaine […]

[…] interest. Leaving aside the debates in the media regarding police numbers and budgets, I was drawn to the growing concern regarding the increasing prevalence and purity of crack cocaine in UK markets, and its link to increasing levels of serious violence. The report indicates that the East of England has seen an 18 per cent […]

[…] 12 July A teenage tearaway was given an Asbo ordering him to get drunk and misbehave in a cour t blunder. An administrative mistake meant the wording of the order – made last Februar y after a string of complaints – reads ‘without’ rather than ‘with’. The error was only noticedwhen the 15-year-old ended up in front of magistrates again for an alleged breach of the conditions, but as the boy was not technically in breach of the previous order, he has escaped any punishment.  The Daily Mirror, 18 July Bob Geldof’s daughter Peaches, has hit out at claims that she whispered sexually explicit words in to the ear of Babyshambles frontman Pete Doher ty, just before he took to the stage at the London Live 8 concer t. ‘He really plays up to the ‘ cracked-out loser’ thing. He was fine before he went on stage but, once he was there, he transformed into this shambolic drug-addled circus freak,’she said. The Hollywood News, 11 July Media watch The National Treatment Agency has announced the largest ever client satisfaction survey of drug users in treatment, with the aim of improving effective services and retention rates. Questionnaires will be sent out between 1 and 5 August to clients attending over 1,000 treatmentservices in England. Clients will be able tor espond by completing an online form on the NTA’s website, www.nta.nhs.uk. Opinion will be invited on care planning, through care and prescribing, as well as treatment services and staff. NTA research manager, DavidBest, said it was ‘an excellent opportunity for service users to tell us what’s good or bad about the treatment they are receiving, which, in turn, will enable us to respond by improving and developing treatment services to meet users’needs.’ The survey is the latest initiative to give […]

[…] to all communities, normalising seeking support, and reaching people where they are.  It’s also clear that cocaine use has increased exponentially in the last decade, with both crack and powder becoming increasingly available and affordable, yet many people remain unaware of the potential harms. We need much better education early on in schools and […]

‘I can’t change anything that happened but it’s not what defines me – today is what defines me.” From spending £300 a day on crack cocaine to working with a charity that helped save her life. Kelly from Darlington began ‘experimenting’ with drugs in her late teens, using a mix of substances including cannabis and […]

[…] produced here. The decision to move methamphetamine from class B to class A should provide the required impetus to develop effective responses. Given the rapidity with which crack cocaine achieved substantial market penetration, it seems likely that methamphetamine would follow the same route and achieve a wide market distribution quickly, following the same supply lines […]

[…] will continue to tackle cocaine and other illegal drugs through tough enforcement, innovative prevention campaigns, effective education and, where necessary, tailored treatment.’ The government also announced new crackhouse closure orders as part of National Tackling Drugs Week last month, as well as awareness sessions for parents and a ‘shop a dealer’ campaign. ‘We particularly […]

[…] for the government to set up accessibleaddiction services for young people and to focus on smoking prevention. Most drug addicts did not progress straight to heroin or crack cocaine, but began with the ‘gateway drugs’, smoking and drinking – problems which the government was leaving to other agencies, according to Dr Fernandes. ‘If we are […]

[…] – is unrivalled in the world. We forget sometimes how easy it is for people in this country to get free drug treatment especially for heroin and crack cocaine problems – that’s really rare internationally.’ All of this is the result of a huge collaborative effort by providers, commissioners, the NTA and service users, she […]

[…] on the Misuse of Drugs, the consultation letter suggests limits of: 7g heroin or 10 wraps (each wrap containing 0.1g heroin); 7g or 10 (0.1g) wraps of crack cocaine; 7g or 10 (1gm) wraps of cocaine; 10 ecstasy tablets; 14g or 10 (1g) wraps of amphetamines; 113g or 10 individual pieces or wraps of cannabis […]

[…] pulmonary dysfunction, which can result in an increased vulnerability to fatal respiratory depression. Heroin users are likely to exhibit impaired pulmonary dysfunction due to smoking (cigarettes, heroin, crack cocaine), complications of overdose, and their increased susceptibility to infection, the latter arising in part from their poor health and lifestyle. Recommended reading: M. Warner-Smith et al […]

[…] every 709 residents; andtenfold in the US. One in every 139 US residents was now incarcerated, and drug offenders had contributed substantially to the rising prison population. Crack cocaine accounted for seven out of ten drug offenders in US prisons, and almost a quarter were in prison for their first drug offence. Analysing the seriousness […]

[…] Portsmouth is smoothing the path into treatment. REGULARS 4 NEWS ROUND-UP Special Brew ‘not encouraging’ irresponsibility • Government goes hi-tech to tackle prison drugs • London borough cracks down on cocaine • Problem drug users less than one per cent of world’s population • Licensing shake-up has no positive impact • Home Office invites […]

[…] every 709 residents; andtenfold in the US. One in every 139 US residents was now incarcerated, and drug offenders had contributed substantially to the rising prison population. Crack cocaine accounted for seven out of ten drug offenders in US prisons, and almost a quarter were in prison for their first drug offence. Analysing the seriousness […]

[…] problematic drug users in the capital when the survey was carried out in 2001. Criminally involved users were found to be spending around £500 a week on crack cocaine, and there had been a steady increase in crackcocaine seizures. There had been an increase in treatment demand of 45 per cent – representing an extra […]

[…] reported in the Daily Mail as ‘just one third of drug addicts manage to kick the habit after receiving treatment’ while The Guardianwrote ‘Two-thirds of heroin and crack cocaine addicts on drug treatment programmes either abstain or substantially reduce their use of street drugs during the first six months.’ The American news agency Associated Press, […]

[…] main problem,’ says the agency. Women now account for one in four cases reporting cocaine as their main problem drug compared to one in five pre-2020, while crack accounted for 17 per cent of cases where cocaine was the main problem – up from 9 per cent in 2015. Polydrug use accounted for almost […]

[…] people, and too little about the idea of ‘Criticism does not have to be destructive and I am certainly not advocating that the conference invites attacks from those who are unsympathetic to its core principles. However, those who are supportive of harm reduction must have areas of their work where they are less clear of the benefits of what they are doing and it is their critical self-reflection which will lead to positive development of the harm reduction approach.‘ What’s in a name? Ever since  DDNfirst appeared I have been at a loss to know why it takes the name ‘Drink and Drugs News’. Why not ‘Smoke and Drug News’, ‘Heroin and Drug News’ or ‘Tranqs and Drug News’?  This is not just a case of semantics.  We have a significant problem with our drug policy, as highlighted recently by the BMA, whopointed out in a press release (4 June 2005) that: ‘...most drug addicts don’tprogress straight to heroin or  crack cocaine. They show signs of trouble to come in early life, by smoking anddrinking alcohol at a young age. The government’s drug strategy doesn’t properly recognise the impor tance of these ‘gateway’ drugs in young people, leaving it to other agencies to deal with these problems separately.  If we are serious about preventing addiction to both legal and illegal drugs, we must have better ser vices to tacklethese problems among young people, and they must be co-ordinated into the national drug strategy. It is incumbent upon all of us in the field to break down the barriers between legal and illegal drugs rather than buying into the or thodoxy.  Then and only then can we begin to break down the barriers that exist for thoseneeding advice and help. Danny Kushlick Director, Transform Drug PolicyF oundation […]

[…] year (DDN, December/January, page 5), with the figure now standing at more than 4,300.   18 per cent increase in the number of people seeking treatment for crack cocaine The numbers, taken from National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) data, show more people in treatment for crack problems across all age categories, including younger age […]

[…] The New Musical Express sparked a r eaction this week by its choice of ‘Cool Icon’ of 2004. Pete Doherty, dispatched from The Libertines for his continued crack cocaine and heroin addiction, topped the magazine’s top 20 list of music stars who embodied the concept of ‘cool’. The NME r ejected any suggestion that Doherty’s […]

Crack paraphernalia There has been a 23 per cent increase in the number of people seeking treatment for crack cocaine, from 2,980 to 3,657, according to the latest figures from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS). The number presenting with combined crack and opiate problems was also up by 12 per cent, to 21,854. […]

[…] primary alcohol treatment. 'I fully realise this is a funding issue, but I feel that the correlation between drink and drugs should be better addressed,' he added. Crack was another frequently misunderstood drug, particularly when combined with alcohol. 'It's all targeted on heroin or alcohol use as individual addictions,' said a service user who […]

[…] addiction? The New Musical Express sparked a reaction this week by its choice of ‘Cool Icon’ of 2004. Pete Doherty, dispatched from The Libertines for his continued crack cocaine and heroin addiction, topped the magazine’s top 20 list of music stars who embodied the concept of ‘cool’. The NME rejected any suggestion that Doherty’s selection […]

[…] primary alcohol treatment. 'I fully realise this is a funding issue, but I feel that the correlation between drink and drugs should be better addressed,' he added. Crack was another frequently misunderstood drug, particularly when combined with alcohol. 'It's all targeted on heroin or alcohol use as individual addictions,' said a service user who […]

[…] in your magazine for the benefit of other readers. I am 49 yrs old have been using amphetamine (speed) since age 13. Also with the emergence of crack cocaine, I was using this also. I’ve been in prison a ‘Mike Sarson has all the right credentials, a social worker, addiction counsellor, and years of experience […]

[…] A drug, with 3.4 tonnes seized – up by 26 per cent on the previous year – according to Seizures of drugs in England and Wales, 2007/08. Crack cocaine seizures rose by 9 per cent and heroin seizures by 2 per cent. The number of seizures of all classes of drug had increased. There was […]

[…] Former client Emma explained her life transformation from attending Clouds and Hope House – a journey that had begun with recreational drug use at 15, progressed to crack and heroin use by 18, and saw her paralysed from the neck down for three months, after speedballing. Specialist care at rehab had ‘slowly put back […]

[…] but separately against each drug type or class. The Home Office has also published a summary of research into the national and regional prevalence of opiate and crack cocaine use. The number of problem drug users had remained roughly stable for the last three years, it says, while prevalence of injecting had decreased. London, followed […]

[…] with yet?’ Even putting morality aside, US drug policy was clearly failing and made no practical sense, she said. ‘If you’re convicted of selling five grams of crack cocaine, which is worth way less than $1,000, you go to prison for five years, mandatory. But it costs $30,000 to keep someone in prison for a […]

[…] behalf of the Alliance and serving as public governor of a mental health trust. ‘Would you want someone to look after your flat if they were a crack user or a heroin user?,’ he asks. ‘How do we feel about the mythical two-year rule ? How do we feel about the DVLA not allowing […]

[…] Europe and assisting participants to develop plans for models of inter vention. Future academies will cover peer suppor t and peer education, harm reduction, working with cocaine, crack cocaine and stimulant users, research methodologies, working with women, juveniles, staff suppor t and supervision. Contact Vikky Bullock, Cranstoun Drug Services e: vbullock@cranstoun.org.uk. 16-18 Februar y – […]

[…] on other family members – including younger brothers and sisters, who can go on to develop drug problems themselves, says author Marina Barnard. Interviews with heroin and crack cocaine users revealed the extent to which families can be affected by stress from family rows; neglect of other family members as the drug user absorbs the […]

[…] but do not necessarily represent its views, or those of FDAP, WIRED and its partner organisations. On behalf of www.drinkanddrugs.net 4 April 2005 | drinkanddrugsnews| 3 Injecting crack cocaine is surprisingly common among US drug users, the first large study of the practice has revealed. The trend is worr ying as its links with high- […]

[…] on other family members – including younger brothers and sisters, who can go on to develop drug problems themselves, says author Marina Barnard. Interviews with heroin and crack cocaine users revealed the extent to which families can be affected by stress from family rows; neglect of other family members as the drug user absorbs the […]