Cocaine is considered to be a stimulant drug which is powerfully addictive. The use of cocaine, in either powdered form or in the crack pellet form, is worldwide and is considered to be one of the drugs that are a great threat to the world. The threats associated with cocaine are the violence and the mental and social side effects that accompany its use and trafficking. Cocaine is also considered a worldwide threat because of the physical and psychological effects that are associated with its use which can damage any society. Cocaine use differs within the society as cocaine has many forms that can be taken by individuals through different routes of administration. Two forms of cocaine are the powdered cocaine and the crack cocaine which are used differently by various individuals belonging to different social classes.
[...] Thus, college education is one of the main indicators of middle class status. Middle class values tend to emphasize independence, adherence to intrinsic standards, valuing innovation and respecting non-community. Politically more active than other demographics, college educated middle class professionals are split. The income per household among members of the middle class varies and may exceed annual income of $100,000 (Dennis Gilbert 2002). Household figures, however, do not always reflect class status and standard of living, as they are largely influenced by the number of income earners and fail to recognize household size. [...]
[...] The distribution of crack cocaine was mostly concentrated mainly in low- income inner city neighborhoods consisting of low class, working class and up to the lower middle class individuals or households. The distribution of crack in these inner city neighborhoods provided some entrepreneurial residents the opportunity to move up the economic and social ladder by joining in the distribution of the crack cocaine drug (Bruce Jacobs 1999). The use and distribution of crack cocaine became so popular in low-income cities that were in social and economic chaos because the distribution of crack required low-skill levels and only minimal initial resource in order to convert powdered cocaine into crack pellets. [...]
[...] However, the use of either powdered cocaine or crack is dependent on the socio-economic class of individuals. The following are the working definitions of the socio- economic classes of the American society: Upper Class Upper class of the United States is simply referred to as the rich households that constitute about 1 percent of the American population. The rich is made up of households that have amassed great wealth and have great influence in the society. The upper class consists of company CEOs, heirs to fortunes, successful venture capitalists, and celebrities. [...]
[...] Effects of Cocaine Cocaine is a drug which acts as a strong stimulant affecting the central nervous system. This stimulant interferes with the process of reabsorbing dopamine in the body. Dopamine is the chemical messenger that is associated with the feelings of pleasure and movement. When too much dopamine is produced and is absorbed by the body, there is a continuous stimulation of neurons with the feeling of pleasure or euphoria (NIDA InfoFacts 2006). Cocaine use can also lead to physical effects which include the constriction of blood vessels, dilation of the pupils of the eyes, and the increase in body temperature, blood pressure and heart rate. [...]
[...] CLASS DISPARITY ON POWDERED COCAINE AND CRACK COCAINE USE Introduction of Cocaine to the Capitalist Economy Cocaine, as an illicit drug, entered the United States via the ports of Miami in the early 1980s. As more and more cocaine was being imported to the United States, there became a huge excess in the supply of cocaine powder or cocaine hydrochloride in these islands. This huge excess in supply caused the price of cocaine powder to drop by as much as 80 percent. [...]
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