Did the cia start the crack epidemic

Crack has destroyed families and, in many ways, destroyed communities, which still suffer the effects of crime, druguse, and incarceration. The invention of crack represented a technological innovation that dramatically widened the availability and use of cocaine in inner cities. We remember ronald reagan, the father of crack and a supporter of apartheid by davey d. The crack epidemic is when crack cocaine flooded inner cities between the early 1980s and early 1990s. In the last 25 years the quality has dropped from absolutely amazing to compl. He also vetoed a bill that would allow farm workers to be paid overtime. A complete history of crack cocaine drug rehab options. If you go see the film, there are some things you should keep in mind, as hollywood is prone to sensationalize reallife events, especially when tom cruise is involved. Gary webbs dark alliance series boldly claimed the cia knew about a u. The police didnt recognize this new rocklike material, but chemical analysis showed it was basically cocaine as freebase rather than as the hydrochloride salt. Cia director john deutch, meanwhile, has ordered his inspector general to file a report on the subject within 60 days. The findings will be required reading for anyone concerned by the rise of crack, but given the cias habit of burying its own past, undoubtedly not the final word. As the technique spread, though, it gained more adherents. One of the most talked about conspiracy theories of the mid80s and early 90s had to do with the crack epidemic.

It has long been known that the cia has illegally toppled foreign governments. Most black people in the inner city during this time were. The crack epidemic in the united states was a surge of crack cocaine use in major cities across the united states between the early 1980s and the early 1990s. Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking wikipedia. A commonheld belief was that the cia flooded the black community with crack so. A powerful series by investigative reporter gary webb of the san jose mercury news says the answer may be yesand the charge. The national response to the crack epidemic of the 1980s crack is a form of cocaine that is processed with baking soda to form small crystalline clumps crack rocks that users smoke in glass pipes and crackles as it burns, hence its name. Allegations of a cia connection to crack cocaine epidemic. This led to the us having the highest incarceration rate in the world. Crack epidemic, the significant increase in the use of crack cocaine, or crack, in the united states during the early 1980s.

The effect on the crack epidemic in the 80s helped the youth of today, to make better choices in life concerning this addictive drug. It refuted charges that cia officials knew that their nicaraguan allies were dealing drugs. A series of expose articles in the san jose mercurynews by reporter gary webb told tales of a drug. Was the war on drugs actually a pretense to attack and weaken black communities. The secret flow of drugs and money, webb reported, had a direct link to the crack epidemic that devastated californias most vulnerable african american neighborhoods. Measuring crack cocaine and its impact harvard university. Even when it veers off into questionable territory such as the role of the government in creating the crack epidemic of the 1980s, americas war on drugs performs the invaluable function of. How gary webb linked the cia to the crack epidemic and paid the ultimate price. It was a balanced portrayal of the crack epidemic without being too educational or dumbed down that showed the harms of crack, and how the response by the media and elected officials added. Crack cocaine, swept throughout the us in the 1980s as an inexpensive and easily accessible drug. How one journalist linked the cia to the crack epidemic.

The first largescale use, and presumably mass production. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come forward. I found it interesting but not all that surprising that we would. A thoughtful comparison of the governments response to. This post claims that the cia funded the contras by hiring drug traffickers which ultimately led. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy studies. Listen to conspiracy theories episodes free, on demand. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in. The impact of the drug epidemic on black families 91. Crack first appeared in small batches in major cities in 1981.

This resulted in a number of social consequences, such as increasing crime and violence in american inner city neighborhoods, as well as a resulting backlash in the form of tough on crime policies. Outraged at cia role in drug trade duke university. The igs report cleared the cia of complicity with the innercity crack cocaine trade. The crack epidemic had particularly devastating effects. By 2002, the united kingdom was experiencing their own crack epidemic, with the number of crack addicts seeking help climbing nearly 50% that year. The crack epidemic the history of crack cocaine drug. Crack epidemic united states history 1980s britannica.

The true story of the 1980s crack epidemic is still untold. The crack epidemics impact on black communities 91. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. The high amount of people in jail is a direct result of the crack epidemic, which was started by the cia. Evidence does not support allegations of cia participation. So yesterday governor arnold schwarzenegger strolled into simi valley and with the stroke of a pen he made february 6th ronald reagan day. Crack produces an instantaneous, brief euphoric high for its users, followed by.

It created a mindset that we should attack life as easy as we. Did the cia create the crack epidemic by planting the drug in the inner cities. What the crack epidemic and opioid crisis tells us about. Some did it when they were pregnant, which had effects on the child and their learning abilities. Crack cocaine was popularized because of its affordability, its immediate euphoric effect, and its high profitability. Yes, the cia did sow the seeds of the crack epidemic.

In 1996 the agency was accused of being a crack dealer. In this case, the cia s activities led to the crack epidemic in americas inner cities, which caused american citizens much pain and misery. Heres how the crack epidemic brought a city to its knees. As an addict and in particular a crack addict the answer is obvious to me. Was the war on drugs a strike against black communities. This past weekend, the hollywood version of what pilot and drug runner barry seal did for the cia in the 1980s, opened in movie theaters across the country.

The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb in 1996, journalist gary webb began looking into links between nicaraguas drugrunning contra rebels and the cia. Others however argued that this is not true and that its some. In 1996, a bombshell report by journalist gary webb claimed that the central intelligence agency cia supported cocaine trafficking into the u. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy. Aaron dixon, the former seattle chapter captain for the black panther party, is writing a book on the impact of crack cocaine on black communities. A number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was involved in cocaine trafficking during the 1980s.

Here are 10 things to know about gary webb and his report that linked the cia to crack cocaine. Based on a yearlong investigation, reporter gary webb wrote that during the 1980s the cia helped finance its covert war against nicaraguas leftist government through sales of cutrate cocaine to south central. That is declassified information and fairly easy to obtain. Ross said the crack epidemic also created a different, dangerous mindset. It started when webb wrote a series of three articles for the san jose mercury news in 1996 dubbed dark alliance.

Did the cia really introduce cocainecrack to the u. Did the cia create the crack epidemic by planting the drug. These claims have led to investigations by the united states government, including hearings and reports by the united states house of representatives, senate, department of justice, and the cia s office of the inspector general. Neighborhoods and families were severely impacted by this epidemic. Based on a yearlong investigation, reporter gary webb wrote that during the 1980s the cia helped finance its covert war against nicaraguas leftist government through sales of cutrate cocaine to south central l. Crime rates surged, families broke apart, and countless lives were forever destroyed. Even today, the conspiracy theory has a number of highprofile believers. On august 18, 1996, the san jose mercury news published the first installment of a threepart series of articles concerning crack cocaine, the central intelligence agency cia, and the nicaraguan contra army. The actions by the cia and reagan administration are credited with sparking the crack epidemic by flooding the drug market with an unprecedented amount of highquality cocaine at a low cost. The uk reported an increase of 74% in seizures of crack cocaine in drug raids between 2000 and 2006. Usually the cia s activities have harmful effects on innocent civilians in foreign countries. Since the centers for disease control and prevention first reported the hivaids epidemic in 1981, rumors have persisted that the deadly virus was created by the cia to wipe out homosexuals and african americans. Did the cia play a role in launching the crack cocaine epidemic.

The cia were funding the contra rebels via the sale of vast quantities of cocaine at a time when certain people had learnt how to produce crack cocaine, the highly addictive and most evil form of the narcotic. Hello reddit, i was doing a little research on the crack epidemic of the 1980s and from what i read the cia introduce crack cocaine to the u. Remembering the crack epidemic as a young man, freelance writer kenji jasper watched the crack epidemic destroy some of the people he grew up with. Racist ideas distorted drug policies in reagans america.