Crack addiction and the illegal market

While reliance on drugs is in no way limited to illicit substances (caffeine and chocolate use are often habit-forming, let alone the obvious examples of tobacco and alcohol), there are factors which make dependence on use of an illicit substance more dangerous:

• The nature of the illegal market means that a user must interact with and buy from criminals who regulate their underground business with violence and intimidation.
• The drug market is unregulated and, therefore, the substances bought from street dealers cannot be relied upon for consistent quality, potency of safety.
• There is also, of course, the issue with all addictions – that the user can become submissive to his or her craving for the sensations produced by the substances.  The illegal nature of cocaine makes it far harder for an addict to seek help for fear of being punished rather than aided.  Treatment programs remain scarce and are often expensive.

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