Sequences of powder cocaine and crack use among arrestees in Los Angeles County

The epidemic of cocaine abuse has led to numerous studies on the substance. While extent of use, characteristics of users, patterns of use, and consequences of dependence are well documented for both powder cocaine and crack, few studies have dealt with the sequence or progression of use between the two forms of cocaine. This paper draws on arrestee data collected from county jails in Los Angeles, California. It identifies four sequences of powder cocaine and crack use and examines each sequence in terms of user characteristics, history of use, dependence, contact with the criminal justice system, and concomitant use of other drugs. Findings not only confirm some already established observations, but also offer new knowledge on powder cocaine and crack abuse. For instance, (a) whereas powder cocaine-initiated users are more likely to progress to crack than to restrict their use to powder cocaine only, crack-initiated users tend more often to use crack only than to progress to powder cocaine; and (b) powder cocaine and crack, when used interchangeably, can interact and reinforce each other, resulting in a higher level of use and dependence on both forms of the substance. This paper contributes to the understanding of powder cocaine and crack use among criminal offenders, in particular, and across the adult population, in general. It also sheds light on prevention, treatment, and social control policies of both cocaine abuse and overall illicit drug use.