crack

Street name for a chemical derivative (bicarbonate) of cocaine in hard, crystalline lumps; it is heated and inhaled (smoked) as a stimulant. Crack was first used in San Francisco in the early 1980s, and is highly addictive.

Its use has led to numerous deaths. It is an important sector of the illegal drug trade, since it is less expensive than cocaine.

According to a 2003 US national survey on drug use and health, 7.9 million Americans used crack cocaine at some point in their lives, 1.4 million used it in the preceding year, and 604,000 in the preceding 30 days. A 2004 survey of students found that 3.9% of 12th-graders had used crack at some point, including 2.3% in the preceding year and 1.0% in the preceding 30 days.