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M M M <br />2. It comes in small quantities and is easily concealed. it <br />makes it difficult on law enforcement to find the <br />substance on people. <br />3. It is relatively inexpensive. One of the rocks can be <br />purchased from $5.00 to $10.00 on the street. <br />Two things make the drug extremely dangerous; one is that it is <br />extremely addictive. Contrary to other types of drugs, it has <br />been proven that "crack" cocaine can create an addict with the <br />first time of use. A very intensive campaign will be initiated <br />over the next few months to get this information to the public. <br />There is a misconception that you have to use "crack" cocaine <br />several times before you can become addicted. It has been proven <br />that anywhere from 1 to 3 experiences with this drug can cause <br />someone to become an addict. The drug is very quick acting; <br />from the time someone inhales it, within 8-10 seconds it has gone <br />into their lungs, been transported into their blood system, and <br />then transported to the brain so they can get an immediate high <br />"- or rush which lasts from 5-10 minutes. Coming out of that high, <br />there is a period -of serious depression and a desire to get more <br />of the drug. The users go from an extreme high t- extreme <br />depression, and it is felt that it is while in the state of <br />depression that crimes are committed. <br />The other thing that makes it so bad is that the drug is <br />extremely lethal. Examples were cited of the athletes who <br />recently died after using "crack" cocaine. In both cases it was _ <br />felt that it was probably the first experience for the athletes;_ <br />they were probably using the stuff at a party to create a=-h-igh <br />and celebrate signing a big contrast, never dreaming that they <br />could O.D. on something the first time they used it. This drug <br />can be lethal to the first-time user or to the guy who is really <br />addicted to it. <br />There were several speakers on the program; -one of the heads of = <br />the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) spoke about the <br />problem as far as law enforcement is concerned. A doctor who is <br />head of a large drug rehabilitation center spoke. He said he has <br />spent his life working with drug addicts, but this problem has <br />come on so fast that one year ago he didn't know what "crack" <br />cocaine was. Within a one year time period, -it now accounts for <br />the major amount of cases he has to deal with. FDLE published a <br />map where they shaded in the counties that they feel have an <br />acute drug problem as far as "crack" cocaine is concerned, and <br />Indian River County is one of the shaded areas, as is most of the <br />counties in the State of Florida. <br />In order to attack this problem, it has to come from several <br />sources: <br />1. Stronger law enforcement. The local law enforcement <br />agencies need to get tougher on apprehending anyone dealing <br />in the drug. <br />2. We need a tougher policy in the court system. The <br />sentencing guidelines related to "crack" cocaine are, in the <br />opinion of everyone attending the meeting, too lenient. <br />Senator Chiles has introduced three Bills in the Senate to <br />make it a much tougher sentence on first offenders and <br />multiple repeat offenders dealing in "crack" cocaine. <br />It was felt that we need laws making it a mandatory prison <br />term for anyone caught and convicted of selling "crack" <br />cocaine. There is also an additional Bill that would make <br />it a felony for anyone to employ a minor who would be used <br />in any way in the sale of "crack" cocaine, either as a <br />look -out, salesman, or various other ways they use children. <br />45 <br />BOOK 65 F'A'CE 665 <br />