NCJ Number
143010
Date Published
1991
Length
335 pages
Annotation
This interview study of 267 heavy cocaine users in northern California was conducted to determine how they got started, the progression of use and abuse, and motivations and strategies associated with terminating cocaine use.
Abstract
Of the 267 users interviewed, the final sample consisted of 122 current users and 106 quitters, and respondents ranged in age from 18 to 53 years. Many respondents regulated cocaine use so that it did not disrupt their daily lives, while many others managed to stop using cocaine. Family and parenting concerns were of paramount importance to the respondents. Although few health problems were reported, health concerns were cited as reasons to limit or abstain from cocaine use. The most frequently reported health problems were nasal conditions, including sniffles, postuse stuffiness, and occasional nose bleeds. Aside from its being illegal, cocaine use was not associated with crime. Most respondents started out snorting cocaine and stayed with that mode of ingestion. Regular cocaine use over time did not result in a pattern of compulsive use or addiction. Most respondents who wanted to quit using cocaine did so without treatment and found quitting to be far less difficult than they imagined. Further, many formerly heavy users resumed occasional use without relapse. The authors conclude that, if controlled use is possible and addiction is not inevitable, cocaine's image as the "scourge" of the 20th Century is distorted by moralistic rhetoric. An appendix provides additional information on the study background, methods, and sampling. References, notes, and tables