Cocaine still poses the most serious drug threat to the United States.
Crack, the smokeable variety of cocaine, is one of the most addictive drugs on the market. Besides quickly ensnaring its victims, crack is a euphoric stimulant which often provokes violent behavior in users. Crack sales fuel much of the drug violence in America's largest cities, as gangs compete for lucrative sales territory while addicts steal to feed their habit. Though overall cocaine use has dropped markedly since the unbridled consumption of the mid 1980's, it has started to rise among high school students. Despite current antidrug efforts, hundreds of tons of cocaine enter the US every year by land, air, and sea.