Ciacontra connection recent central american history. The crack epidemic coincidently began around the same time when the irancontra scandal was being exposed. His book cocaine true, cocaine blue documents the brutal realities facing communities affected by the drug. The baltimore sun how the american people feel about the cia is important. He wrote that the huge influx of cocaine happened to come at just the time. The severelydistressed african american family in the. Aug 30, 2012 one of the most talked about conspiracy theories of the mid80s and early 90s had to do with the crack epidemic. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy studies. Dark alliance how the cia created the crack epidemic in. The crack epidemic had particularly devastating effects. Did the cia play a role in launching the crack cocaine epidemic. For more than a decade, panamanian strongman manuel noriega was a highly paid cia asset and collaborator, despite knowledge by u. 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. The crack epidemic had particularly devastating effects crack epidemic, the significant increase in the use of crack cocaine, or crack, in the united states during the early 1980s.
While the use of coca leaves as an intoxicant dates back three thousand years, crack cocaine, a crystallized form of cocaine, was developed during the cocaine. At the same time that tens of thousands of black people across the county are suffering from an addiction to crack cocaine and being incarcerated for it by the us government, the cia was working with the drug traffickers responsible for selling the cocaine that sparked the epidemic. Did the cia play a role in launching the crackcocaine epidemic. 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. Webbs series led to three federal investigations, none of. 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 cias office of the inspector general. Titled dark alliance, the headline ran beneath the provocative image of a man smoking crack superimposed on the official seal of the cia.
San jose mercury news published a threepart series of articles titled dark alliance. As policymakers seek solutions for the ongoing epidemic of opioid overdoses, horror stories about the effects of the drugs fuel calls for more punitive law enforcement, as well as better treatment options. Crack has destroyed families and, in many ways, destroyed communities, which still suffer the effects of crime, druguse, and incarceration. When the contra revolution took off in the 1980s, plumlee says he continued to transport arms south for the spy agency and bring cocaine back with him, with the blessing of the u. Allegations of a cia connection to crack cocaine epidemic. Now, webbs bombshell expose is being explored anew in a documentary, freeway. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come. In 1996, a bombshell report by journalist gary webb claimed that the central intelligence agency cia supported cocaine trafficking into the u. Between 1985 and 1989, the number of regular cocaine users jumped from 4. The series related to a drug ring in california and its alleged connections to the central intelligence agency cia backed nicaraguan contra resistance of the 1980s. Some in the african american community have long claimed that the federal government was responsible for the crack epidemic of the 1980s by letting the potent drug. According to one article, the cocaine that flooded in through blandons drug ring helped spark a crack explosion in.
Crack produces an instantaneous, brief euphoric high for its users, followed by depression, anxiety, exhaustion and ultimately brain damage. Your worst fears are true the cia did help to smuggle drugs into american ghettos, says an investigative reporter, webb was asked whether his story had confirmed the suspicion within the black community that the crack cocaine epidemic might be part of a. A powerful series by investigative reporter gary webb of the san jose mercury news says the answer may be yesand the charge. The 1980s crack epidemic crack usage began to surge in the 1980s. The charges of cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking were revived in 1996, when a newspaper series by reporter gary webb in the san jose mercury news claimed that the trafficking had played an important role in the creation of the crack cocaine drug problem in the united states. A number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was involved in cocaine trafficking during the 1980s. In this episode, chris calton explains how the potent mix of politicans and.
Crack cocaine, swept throughout the us in the 1980s as an inexpensive and easily accessible drug. 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. Then take a look at 37 startling photos of 1980s new york city, when crack was king. How one journalist linked the cia to the crack epidemic.
Crack epidemic united states history 1980s britannica. In the 1980s, cocaine was a club drug, glamorized by. This drug ring opened the first pipeline between colombias cocaine cartels and the black. Back in 1996, gary webb of the san jose mercury news broke a story stating not only that the nicaraguan contras supported by the united states in a rebellion against their leftleaning government were involved in the us crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s, but also that the cia knew and turned a blind eye to the operation. The true story of the 1980s crack epidemic is still untold. Congress passed laws that created a 100 to 1 sentencing disparity for the possession or trafficking of crack when compared to. Jun 26, 2017 in the 1980s, president ronald reagan enacted harsh sentencing laws for drug offenders. America is fascinated by tales of the exploits of gangsters, hustlers, dealers, and killers, but america is very rarely equipped, prepared, or inclined to deal with the fallout of these elements in real life. Aaron dixon, the former seattle chapter captain for the black panther party, is writing a book on the impact of crack. 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. We find that our measure of crack can explain much of the rise in black youth homicides, as well as more moderate increases in a wide range of adverse birth outcomes for blacks in the 1980s. Snowfall is a onehour drama set against the infancy of the crack cocaine epidemic and its ultimate radical impact on the culture as we know it. While much of the ciacontradrug story had been revealed years ago in the press. If you go see the film, there are some things you should keep in mind, as hollywood is prone to.
So at the very least the cia was neglectful of the situation to the point where they did not stop such action which they knew were going on. Yet, under his watch the cia was actually funding some of the very drug cartels responsible for flooding innercity america with cocaine. Jan 20, 2020 there once was a republican president that wanted to look like a hero by getting iran to release some hostages. A brief history of cia involvement with drug trafficking. The topic of this statement is fueled by the growing abuse of cocaine in the mid 1980s. Crack epidemic, the significant increase in the use of crack cocaine, or crack, in the united states during the early 1980s. Mar 21, 2015 the cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb.
The crack epidemic the history of crack cocaine drug. Some in the african american community have long claimed that the federal government was responsible for the crack epidemic of the 1980s by letting the potent drug flourish in urban areas. Sep 20, 2019 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. 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. A series of expose articles in the san jose mercurynews by reporter gary webb told tales of a drug triangle during the 1980s that linked cia officials in central america, a san francisco drug. Crack cocaine, swept throughout the us in the 1980 s as an inexpensive and easily accessible drug. However, the mercury news series contained or at least many readers interpreted it to contain a new sensational claim. Central intelligence agency a number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was involved in cocaine trafficking during the 1980s. The crack epidemics impact on black communities 91. 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. These events led to what is known as the crack epidemic in the. Here are 10 things to know about gary webb and his report that linked the cia to crack cocaine. Essay about the crack cocaine epidemic of the mid 1980s. The reagan administration and the cia also collaborated with nicaraguan cocaine traffickers to support the contras led to the crack epidemic of the 1980 s.
Plumlee flew weapons into latin america for decades for the cia. Measuring crack cocaine and its impact harvard university. The reagan administration and the cia also collaborated with nicaraguan cocaine traffickers to support the contras led to the crack epidemic of the 1980s. A thoughtful comparison of the governments response to. The cia was complicit, but not directly involved in the cocaine trafficking of the 1980s which led directly to the crack epidemic. Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking wikipedia. Neighborhoods and families were severely impacted by this epidemic. Cooper was a journalist for the village voice, who had received acclaim for a 1987 story about the crack epidemic in detroit titled kids killing kids. In the 1980s, president ronald reagan enacted harsh sentencing laws for drug offenders. The crack epidemic changed life in the american city beyond recognition in the 1980s, and understanding the lingering effects of that transformation is the responsibility of those who hope to learn from the past or understand the plight of the addicted, who come from every walk of life.
Just say blow in 1987, actress drew barrymore signed an antidrug pledge alongside first lady nancy reagan. Rereading the story of the crack epidemic jstor daily. For many, crack use became an obsession, dominated their lives, and superseded family responsibilities. New jack city eats its young, the article was one of the first exposes of the effects of the crack epidemic on innercity communities. 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. Stories alleging cia involved in crack epidemic were flawed. This led to the us having the highest incarceration rate in the world. The newspaper articles suggested that the united states government had protected blandon and meneses from prosecution and either knowingly permitted them to peddle massive quantities of cocaine to the black residents. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in. What is beyond doubt is that cia was directly responsible for the importation of tons.
A commonheld belief was that the cia flooded the black community with crack so. Mar 09, 2017 ross used the cocaine imported by the cia to set up a cocainedistribution network in major cities throughout the united states. The cocaine that flooded in helped spark a crack explosion in urban america. Webb alleged that profits from these crack sales were funneled to the ciasupported contras. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum. Even if a major investigation into the allegations is done, it is unlikely to quell the certainty among many african americans that the government played a role in bringing the crack epidemic.
Documenting the ravages of the 1980s crack epidemic al. 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 full story of the 1980s crack epidemic is still yet to be told. Numerous african american families have struggled for generations with persistent poverty, especially in the inner city. San jose mercury news allegations of cia contra involvement in narcotics trafficking. The newspaper articles suggested that the united states government had protected blandon and meneses from prosecution. A commonheld belief was that the cia flooded the black community with crack. Agency to receive the cocaine which decimated black communities in the 1980s. Levine found analyzing the reaction to crack in the 1980s, sensationalist reporting can lead to troubling responses. According to the series, blandon was the johnny appleseed of crack in californiadistributing thousands of kilos of colombian cocaine to black dealers like ricky ross.
The high amount of people in jail is a direct result of the crack epidemic, which was started by the cia. During the 1980s, the war on drugs became defined by cocaine and crack. Renowned documentary photographer eugene richards bore witness to the ravages of the crack epidemic that gripped the northeast in the 1980s. 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. Nicholas writes in the books epilogue, is not to define a national agenda. All the time that this crack epidemic was being unleashed by the contras, vice president bush was the man in charge of the reagan administrations central america program, overseeing all of the activities of the cia, the pentagon, and every other government intelligence agency. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come forward.
After reading about gary webb exposing the cias potential complicity in l. How one journalist linked the cia to the crack epidemic and. Although our crack index remains high through the 1990s, the deleterious social impact of crack fades. Cia and cocaine how the cia sparked the crackepidemic. The uk reported an increase of 74% in seizures of crack cocaine in drug raids between 2000 and 2006. Crack cocaine was popularized because of its affordability, its immediate euphoric effect, and its high profitability. Evidence does not support allegations of cia participation. These conditions were further strained during the 1980s and 1990s by the widespread use of crack cocaine. In his report, webb who had won a pulitzer in 1989 for a different story claimed that the cia was partly responsible for bringing crack cocaine to the united states in the 1980s. Ricky ross was apprehended after a drug sting by the dea which was organized by. The crack epidemic the history of crack cocaine drugfree. The cia was consequently not only involved in and ultimately responsible for the innercity crack epidemic.
During the 1980s crack epidemic, most of the blame seemed to. In addition, in the mid1980s, any effort to keep the cia out of the world of drug trafficking was made more difficult by the decision of its boss, director casey, to activate what became known as. God, if we just had more kids his age asking this question in our schools. Mchenry claims that the films main character, nino brown. Dark alliance how the cia created the crack epidemic in the 1980 s earlier one of our younger duers asked why reagan was so bad.
He wrote a fourpart series for the san jose mercury news, which eventually became the book, dark alliance. Just as bad was her pushing of the equally ludicrous fiction that the cia was responsible for the crack epidemic that gutted our inner cities in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Dec 31, 2004 crack, the cia and black americas drug crisis. 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. I shall discuss the effects of the crack cocaine epidemic of the mid 1980s from a cultural and social stand point because on that decade this country moved to the rhythms and the pace of this uncanny drug. Feb 10, 2014 the article suggested that the cia and other agencies of the united states government were responsible for the crack epidemic that ravaged black communities across the country, and that the. Secret ties between cia, drugs revealed the final call. Jun 26, 2017 the full story of the 1980s crack epidemic is still yet to be told. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb.
One of the most talked about conspiracy theories of the mid80s and early 90s had to do with the crack epidemic. There has, on the other hand, been a lot of conjecture. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia. Webb had anonymous sources he eventually named one in a later book who had been involved in the nicaraguan drug ring to back his. The cia s collusion with anticommunist drug smugglers beginning in the 1960s played a direct role in the drug epidemic of the 1980s that was used to justify president reagans 1986 crime bill. Oct 03, 2017 while working for the san jose mercury news, gary webb had discovered the cia contra connection in california in the mid1990s, while investigating the crack cocaine epidemic within the black community.
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