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This Pulse Check is a report of national trends in illicit drug abuse and drug markets in the United States. The report draws on conversations with ethnographers and epidemiologists working in the drug field, law enforcement agents, and drug treatment providers across the United States. Information from each of these sources is summarized in narrative form broken down by drug type and presented in detailed tables at the end of the report. The four groupings of drugs are heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and emerging drugs. Results show that the market for heroin and cocaine remains fairly stable. Marijuana continues to be popular among young people and is frequently used with alcohol, hallucinogens, cocaine, or methamphetamines. Among the emerging drugs, methamphetamine continues to be a problem in the West and parts of the South, its low price making it an easily accessible drug. "Club drugs," such as Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) and Ketamine, are part of the drug scene in most areas, with many young people using a combination of these substances. (RJM)

This report contains national estimates of Americans' perceptions of the availability of various illicit drugs and of the risk of harm associated with their drug use. These 1992 estimates are part of an ongoing national survey. The report analyzes three basic perceptions concerning drugs: (1) the relationship between perceptions and use; (2) availability; and (3) risk of harm. On the first perception, results show that drug use correlated with attitudes and beliefs about drugs. Among those who reported that marijuana was easy to get, the rate of current marijuana use was 6.6 percent, compared to a usage rate of only 1.4 percent among those who reported that marijuana was not easy to obtain. For the second perception, 59 percent reported that marijuana was easily procured, with 40 percent claiming that cocaine or crack was readily obtained. Changes in perceived availability from 1991 to 1992 were small and there were decreases in the percent reporting the ready availability of marijuana and cocaine or crack. For the perceived risk of harm, 45 percent believed that occasional marijuana use was associated with great risk of harm, while 68 percent claimed that trying cocaine once or twice could lead to great risk or harm. Perceptions were also recorded on other drugs and on tobacco use. Survey results are presented in 12 tables. (RJM)

The educational outlook for children of school age in low-income minority neighborhoods of New York City is discussed, drawing primarily on the researcher's observations in a field study in Central Harlem. The decline the neighborhoods have undergone is summarized; and the role of drugs, especially crack, is discussed. Some opinions of residents are reviewed, and the effects of a deteriorating physical and socioeconomic environment on school-age children and their families are considered. The experiences of three residents, an adult male, a young adult male, and a young mother, are recounted. These respondents were chosen because of the emphasis they placed on schools or education in interviews with the researcher. Recurrent in their remarks are a high level of frustration, the frequency of parental abandonment, perpetuation of social patterns, lack of discipline, peer pressure, and estrangement from community and school. Some policy recommendations are made to improve the situation through a fuller use of the school and its resources. In a "Marshall Plan" for cities, schools could play the roles of islands of stability and act as tutorial villages with services for children and families. Contains 50 references. (SLD)

The lives and places in society of urban youth at risk of dropping out of the Los Angeles (California) Unified School District schools are explored through interviews of adolescents whom the author met when doing field work in Los Angeles County. Data come from interviews conducted in the course of the 1991 Drug Use Forecasting Study (DUF) and the Sex-for-Crack study. Of the DUF sample, 394 were male and 44 female, with almost 60 percent Latinos and about 22 percent African Americans. Additional and more qualitative interviews were conducted with 123 of this sample. The Sex-for-Crack sample interviewed 40 dependent crack users in 8 cities in 1989-91. From these subjects, four social types of youth at risk for dropping out are identified: (1) gang members; (2) young parents; (3) substance abusers; and (4) youth from dysfunctional homes. The characteristics and problems of each group are explored. The different types of youth have different needs at different levels of potential intervention. Gang members, out of alienation from society, have created societies of their own. Teen sexuality must be addressed, and youth abusing drugs and alcohol need more realistic education at earlier ages. Child abuse is a dramatic example of the recurrent problems of dysfunctional families that must be addressed in multiple ways. Feelings of alienation from school can only be relieved when students and their parents feel less alienated from society. (SLD)

After defining HIV and the AIDS disease and outlining symptoms and means of infection, this fact sheet lists the ways alcohol and drugs are involved with the AIDS epidemic, noting that needle-sharing transmits the virus; that alcohol or mood-altering drugs like crack cocaine cause disinhibition, increase sex drive, encourage sex for drugs, and affect judgment; that drugs and alcohol may be biological co-factors causing HIV to progress to AIDS; that many people with HIV infection are diagnosed when seeking treatment for chemical dependence and may have symptoms related to HIV infection, such as pain, anxiety, nausea, and fever; and that HIV is sometimes associated with relapse into alcohol or other substance abuse in people who have had a period of sobriety. The sheet concludes by outlining commonly-used and new blood tests for diagnosing HIV, and by discussing medical, psychological, nutritional, and lifestyle means of managing AIDS infection. Chemical dependency professionals have the expertise necessary to provide supportive, nurturing, and successful healthcare for those with HIV infections and AIDS. (MSF)

This pamphlet focuses on cocaine and crack use and the addictive nature of cocaine/crack. It contains a set of 21 questions about crack and cocaine, each accompanied by a clear and complete response. Interspersed throughout the booklet are photographs and quotes from former cocaine or crack users/addicts. Questions and answers focus on what cocaine and crack are, how they affect the body, the dangers of taking cocaine or crack, addiction, and risks other than addiction. Other issues addressed include the effects of crack and cocaine on the heart, on the brain, and on a person's behavior. Other psychological effects are also discussed. Risks run by pregnant women who use crack or cocaine are explored, and the effect of these drugs on unborn babies and nursing infants is examined. The effect of cocaine and crack on sexual pleasure is considered. Other questions focus on how crack and cocaine are used, the purity of street drugs, the cost of crack and cocaine, how crack and cocaine are used in combination with other drugs, symptoms of withdrawal, and treatments for cocaine and crack addiction. (NB)

This monograph presents the history and epidemiology of crack cocaine and demonstrates aspects of the drug and its use that are unique in the field of prevention. Problems specific to crack cocaine that require specifically focused prevention strategies are examined and recommendations for a crack cocaine research agenda are provided. Chapter 1 examines crack cocaine epidemiology, including sources of data, a summary of national survey data, and observations derived from other data sources. Chapter 2 discusses drug abuse patterns, first looking at general drug abuse patterns and then examining crack cocaine use patterns. Chapter 3 focuses on defining drug use prevention, reviewing prevention strategies of the 20th century, contemporary drug use prevention programs, and preventing crack cocaine use. Chapter 4 discusses the research agenda for crack cocaine use prevention. It describes etiologic and epidemiologic studies, evaluation research, and information exchange. The report concludes that there must be continued research to assess the efficacy of prevention efforts and to communicate the process and the outcomes of successful prevention efforts. References are included. (ABL)

The Oakland Crack Task Force (OCTF) was created by concerned citizens to combat the problems caused by crack cocaine and ensure the future existence of the family, especially the black family, using community resources and no outside funding. Goals are to educate the community about crack; identify and access prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery resources; and implement activities designed to enhance and strengthen cultural and family values. The following standing committees are responsible for program implementation: (1) education and special events; (2) prenatal; (3) support groups; (4) organizational development; and (5) youth. Program activities have included the following: (1) monthly community seminars; (2) addict support groups; (3) a citywide "crack summit"; and (4) youth programs. The highly successful monthly seminars are held at various churches and include entertainment, free food, and child care. Future programming will emphasize youth, education and community, foster care and extended family members, and advocacy. The following materials are appended: (1) an organizational chart; (2) seven posters advertising seminars; (3) six newspaper articles reporting program events; and (4) agendas for a community seminar and the citywide summit. (FMW)

This project is part of a multi-year program to gather detailed information about substance-use patterns among Texans. Investigators interviewed a total of 946 youths, age 10 to 17, as they entered Texas Youth Commission (TYC) reception facilities. Results show that 81% of TYC youth have used illicit substances--51% in their last month on the street. Substance use was pronounced even among those aged 13 and younger. Some 91% of TYC youth have tried alcohol, 86% have used tobacco, and 39% sampled inhalants. Age had little effect on patterns of current use although children 13 years and younger were more likely than those age 16 and 17 to report current use of inhalants. Whites and Hispanics recorded much higher lifetime and current prevalence of substance use than did Blacks. While clear and consistent racial/ethnic differences in reporting on drug use became obvious, these were only differences of degree. Many TYC youth reported daily substance use and TYC youth were more likely than individuals in school to be current users of most substances. Those aged 13 or younger appear to be particularly at risk for developing severe problems. This report contains 17 figures which explicate youth behavior and substance use. Ten appendices summarize the data accumulated for the study. (RJM)

This book defines and examines assumptions about children who were prenatally exposed to crack/cocaine and who have other risk factors that may negatively affect their literacy development. It suggests the 26 children in the study disproved the labels attached to them; they were inquisitive about learning and in most cases were at grade level or above in literacy development. Realization of the importance of overcoming the risk factors and celebrating children's growth as readers and writers were factors contributing to the children's success. Chapters include: "The Beginning of the Study"; "What We Have Learned About Children Prenatally Exposed to Crack/Cocaine"; "Discovering Resilience: The Structure and Results of the Study." Six additional chapters present case studies of individual students. The last chapter discusses why these children's stories are important. Contains 191 references; a table, "Summaries of Literacy Development Year 1 Through Year 4" is attached. (EF)

Cocaine was first used by Europeans in the nineteenth century when extract from the coca leaf was combined with various beverages. Cocaine comes as a white crystalline powder. However, a product called crack cocaine may come as an opaque crystal similar in size and shape to rock salt. A third form of cocaine is known as coca paste, which is an intermediate step in the production of cocaine. Cocaine is highly water and fat soluble and, therefore, it is readily absorbed and distributed throughout the body. Route of administration seems to be more important in determining cocaine's absorption rather than dose. It is believed that cocaine produces such a powerful and rapid dependency because it directly stimulates the pleasure centers of the brain responsible for the reinforcing properties of food, water and sex. Intranasal users do not seem to be as prone to addiction in the classic sense of the term as are those who smoke cocaine. However, they may develop a very rapid and profound psychological dependence on the drug which is just as intense as addiction to opiates or alcohol. Any user, regardless of the intensity of the use or the route of administration, is at risk of developing a problem with cocaine which may require treatment. Evaluation of cocaine abuse treatment has been sparse and no consensus exists regarding optimal treatment strategies. (LLL)

This revised edition focuses on the prevention of drug use among school students, with increased attention to alcohol, tobacco, and steroids. The handbook, which begins with an introduction by Secretary of Education, Lauro F. Cavazos, provides new information about the effects of alcohol on young people; statistics on the harm it causes; and information on organizations that parents, students, and educators can turn to for help with questions about all drugs. After outlining a plan for achieving schools without drugs, the first section, "Children and Drugs," describes the nature and extent of the drug problem and summarizes the latest research on the effects of drugs on students and schools. Included are fact sheets on drugs and dependence, youth and alcohol, and cocaine/crack. The second section, "A Plan for Action," is divided into four parts according to what parents, schools, students, and communities can do. Suggestions for parents include instilling responsibility, supervising, activities, and recognizing drug use, while suggestions for schools focus on assessment, policy setting and enforcement, teaching about drug prevention, and enlisting the community's help. Fact sheets are included on signs of drug use, tips for selecting drug prevention materials, legal questions on search and seizure, and legal questions on suspension and expulsion. Students are advised to learn the facts in order to help fight drug use, while communities are advised to provide support and involve law enforcement in efforts to control drug traffic and use. Special sections are appended on teaching about drug prevention and using the law. Resources are provided on specific drugs and their effects, sources of information, and references. (TE)

Reviews literature on prevalence, mechanisms of fetal toxicity, effects of exposure, socioeconomic factors, and social-support programs to increase awareness of the effects of prenatal exposure to cocaine. Emphasizes the need for drug education and social-support programs for disadvantaged pregnant women to prevent and control cocaine use. (EMK)

Most impoverished crack-abusing women are usually without a regular place to live, but most are not homeless because they find alternative living arrangements. Describes the common living arrangements for these women. Draws from a rich descriptive repository of field notes, field diaries, and transcribed tape-recorded interviews from two ethnographic studies in New York City, focused on crack users and sellers. (KW)

Factors associated with completing a follow-up interview in an AIDS outreach/intervention project targeting out-of-treatment crack smokers were studied through 409 baseline interviews and 288 follow-up interviews. The study demonstrates that access to hard-to-reach subjects for follow-up is possible. Methods to enhance follow-up rates are discussed. (SLD)

Described use of human services reported by 245 injection drug users and 125 crack cocaine smokers living in Columbus and Dayton, Ohio. Findings suggest that drug users are active consumers of human services; nearly 90% reported involvement. Found no gross patterns of discrimination. (JBJ)

Expanded the applicability of stage models to the reduction of HIV-risk behaviors. Distributed not-in-treatment crack cocaine smokers and intravenous drug users across three levels of intention to change, which revealed that benefits of change and condom assertiveness varied across the stages of change. Discusses other findings. (RJM)

Examines factors--such as unemployment, economic deprivation, racism, issues pertaining to gender roles--and their contribution to substance abuse in African American men. Specifically reviews the use of alcohol, opiates, crack, and cocaine. Argues that a biopsychosocial model offers the best framework in conceptualizing substance abuse and treatment. (RJM)

Reports the results of an analysis of survey data collected from male inner-city high school students pertaining to firearms possession, use of heroin, cocaine, and crack, drug selling, and commission of crimes with weapons. No evidence of a progressive, linear relationship between level of drug use and gun possession was found. (JPS)

The validity of self-reported drug use as a measure of behavioral change for evaluation of drug use prevention and human immunovirus risk reduction programs was examined, using responses of 154 subjects. Results suggest that self-reports of drug use are accurate enough for measuring risk behavior change in program participants. (SLD)

There is no national policy on assisting drug-using pregnant mothers nor on the children they produce. This paper looks at the issue of "crack-cocaine" and mothers who give birth to children after using drugs during pregnancy. It attempts to lay out what is known, and it puts forth "best guesses" regarding helping children born affected by drugs. Several aspects of the crack-cocaine epidemic and the "crack kids" problem are outlined under the headings: (1) How Great Is the Risk? (2) What Are the Costs? (3) Some Successful Programs; (4) Legal and Ethical Issues; and (5) A New Version of the Social Contract: The "Prevention Contract." Among the conclusions are the following: while some children cannot be helped, many can be brought to normal or near normal functioning by highly intensive (and expensive) programs; increased use of crack by females has produced increased rates of veneral disease and Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) among women who turn to prostitution to support their habit; only a handful of drug treatment centers around the country will accept pregnant women; there is some conflict between the goals of prevention and the goals of treatment; and there are virtually no reliable state data on children born with dangerous drugs in their bloodstream. (Contains 26 references.) (LL)