Answer the following question based on stimulants:
What is the difference between cocaine and crack-cocaine. Do you think these differences are significant enough to explain the differences in legal penalties that are imposed on users of each. If not, what do you think are the reasons for the legal distinctions between the two.
Next, reply to 2 classmatesAlan Dominguez – The differences that cocaine and crack-cocaine have between the both of them is the method of consumption; crack-cocaine is consume more frequently in the form of smoking through a certain type of pipe and the smoke the crack rock in it. Cocaine, on the other hand, is consumed in different ways; theres the the way that everyone is common with which is thhe intranasal way (also known as the snorting method). The other way is in the form of oral use and the last known method is the injection way where they would infuse it with water and inject it in themselves with a needle. I believe that the differences are not significant enough to explain the differences in legal penalties that are imposed on user of each. I believe the reasons the legal regulation have such a distinction between those two is due to the fact of who is the audience of each drug. Crack-cocaine has often been personified as more of a “dirty” drug while cocaine is seen as more of a fancier drug; despite the fact that both drugs contains such a strong and harmful impact on the consumer. The demographics that people are mainly associate with crack-cocaine is more on the side of African American and Hispanic communities and cocaine is seen more with white communities. Due to this ideology, crack-cocaine has been frowned upon more frequently for its demographic groups and therefore would be seen as the more dirty and more street level type of drug and cocaine would be seen as cleaner and more sophisticated due to its audience.
MIguel Garcia – Cocaine and crack-cocaine are essentially the same substance however there are some key differences. First, Cocaine comes in a powder form as opposed to a bigger, solid form which is one of the defining features of crack cocaine. Crack cocaine is in a bigger solid form and is made this way through mixing cocaine with a number of other susbtances in order to achieve the “rock” type shape. The difference in shape is responsible for the second difference which is in the way both substances are consumed. Cocaine, in its powder form, is typically snorted. Other forms of consuption can be through rubbing cocaine on ones gums. Crack cocaine, however, can only be smoked as a form of consumption. Due to crack cocaines route of adminsitration, an individual can feel the effects of the drug in a more rapid manner which may lead one to abuse the substance more. I feel as if the differences between the two drugs are not significant enough to warrant the differences in the severity of punishments for possesing or distributing either form of the same drug. Both forms are relatively the same except for the route of administration and the supposed higher risk of addiction from smoking crack cocaine. I believe the legal distinctions between the two arise from the role the media has played in portraying crack cocaine as a more evil drug that has a higher risk of addiction. I feel as if this is where the legal distinction arise and as a resul the imposed penalties for possessing or distributing crack cocaine are more severe. The argument can also be made that the legal distinctions also serve to incarcerate a specific demographic of people for a longer period of time. For example, one can say that the penalties are designed to incarcerate minorities such as african americans and hispanics as opposed to the white demographic as crack cocaine isn’t nearly as prevelant in their communites as it is in minority communities.
