According to the Drug Policy Alliance, the sentencing disparity between powder cocaine and crack was 100-1 until 2010 (Currently, the disparity is 18-1 nationally).īecause of crack’s presence in low-income areas, this sentencing disparity means that impoverished people and people of color are much likelier to receive harsh sentences for drug possession.
A common belief that crack was more dangerous and addictive than cocaine developed during the height of the War on Drugs era, causing much harsher sentences to be levied on crack users. Sentencing differences for Cocaine vs Crack Possessionįor the last several decades, crack and cocaine possession have been treated very differently in court.It also gained a reputation for high use in minority groups, though this is not necessarily the case. Because of its lower price point, it became prevalent in low-income areas throughout the U.S. Charles Cosby was a small time crack dealer in Oakland, California, until Griselda Blanco, The Godmother, changed his life forever. Crack gained popularity in the 1980s as a less-expensive substitute for Cocaine.
When crack cocaine is smoked, the effects kick in almost instantaneously and usually last under ten minutes.Ĭocaine is notoriously associated with corporate America and has been called the “rich man’s drug.” It is especially expensive because the high it creates is so short-lived. Snorting or orally ingesting cocaine takes a few minutes for the high to set in, which then lasts anywhere from 10-30 minutes. Several factors differentiate crack from cocaine:Ĭrack produces an immediate but much shorter-lasting high than pure powder cocaine.