Crack Cocaine Users: High Society and Low Life in South London

Street crack cocaine users have significant health problems, and place a significant burden on social services, the criminal justice system and drug treatment agencies. Among policymakers, professionals and the wider section of society, they are also a poorly understood drug-using group and have the worst retention rate in prison drug programmes and community drug agencies. This book is about their addictions, lifestyles and the realities of their lives. It is based on ethnographic research (observation and interviewing) conducted over the course of 2004/05. It aims to highlight their day-to-day struggles as they try to #xE2;#xAC;#xDC;survive#xE2;#xAC;" in a violent and intimidating street drug scene in south London while trying to take some steps toward a #xE2;#xAC;#xDC;crime/drug#xE2;#xAC;" free life. It also concerned with unpacking the myths and stigma of their drug use and their fragile position in society in an effort to better understand them. With the help of several key characters, the book will use their words and experiences to take the reader on a journey through their crack addiction to life in and out of crack houses; through their experiences with law enforcement and welfare agencies to their life aspirations. Such a text has important policy implications and will be relevant and easily accessible to academics and students in the field of criminology, sociology, psychology, and research methods but also central and local government policymakers and frontline healthcare and drug agency staff.