Universidade Federal de São Paulo/Psychobiology Department, Brazilian Center of Information of Psychotropic Drugs (CEBRID), Rua Napoleão de Barros, 925 - Vila Clementino, São Paulo, Brazil.
BMC Public Health. 2010 Nov 4;10:671. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-10-671.
Due to marginalization, trafficking violence, conflicts with the police and organic and social psychological problems associated with the drug, crack is one of the most devastating drugs currently in use. However, there is evidence that some users manage to stay alive and active while using crack cocaine for many years, despite the numerous adversities and risks involved with this behavior. In this context, the aim of the present study was to identify the strategies and tactics developed by crack users to deal with the risks associated with the culture of use by examining the survival strategies employed by long-term users.
A qualitative research method was used involving semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Twenty-eight crack users fulfilling a pre-defined enrollment criterion were interviewed. This criterion was defined as the long-term use of crack (i.e., at least four years). The sample was selected using information provided by key informants and distributed across eight different supply chains. The interviews were literally transcribed and analyzed via content analysis techniques using NVivo-8 software.
There was diversity in the sample with regard to economic and education levels. The average duration of crack use was 11.5 years. Respondents believed that the greatest risks of crack dependence were related to the drug's psychological effects (e.g., cravings and transient paranoid symptoms) and those arising from its illegality (e.g., clashes with the police and trafficking). Protection strategies focused on the control of the psychological effects, primarily through the consumption of alcohol and marijuana. To address the illegality of the drug, strategies were developed to deal with dealers and the police; these strategies were considered crucial for survival.
The strategies developed by the respondents focused on trying to protect themselves. They proved generally effective, though they involved risks of triggering additional problems (e.g., other dependencies) in the long term.
由于边缘化、贩卖暴力、与警察的冲突以及与毒品相关的有机和社会心理问题，快克可卡因是目前使用最具破坏性的毒品之一。然而，有证据表明，一些使用者在多年使用快克可卡因的过程中，尽管面临着这种行为带来的诸多逆境和风险，却设法保持生存和活跃。在这种情况下，本研究的目的是通过研究长期使用者采用的生存策略，确定与使用文化相关的风险的应对策略，以识别快克使用者所采用的策略和战术。
采用定性研究方法，包括半结构化深入访谈。共访谈了 28 名符合预先确定的纳入标准的快克使用者。该标准定义为长期使用快克（即至少四年）。通过关键知情人提供的信息和分布在八个不同供应链中的信息来选择样本。对访谈内容进行了逐字转录，并使用 NVivo-8 软件通过内容分析技术进行了分析。
样本在经济和教育水平方面存在多样性。快克使用的平均时间为 11.5 年。受访者认为，快克依赖的最大风险与药物的心理效应（如渴望和短暂的偏执症状）以及其非法性（如与警察的冲突和贩卖）有关。保护策略侧重于控制心理效应，主要是通过消耗酒精和大麻。为了解决毒品的非法性，制定了与毒贩和警察打交道的策略；这些策略被认为是生存的关键。
受访者制定的策略侧重于保护自己。它们通常是有效的，但从长期来看，它们涉及引发其他问题（例如其他依赖）的风险。
