The “crack”: use and effectsOne million Americans use crack every year. Many crack users become addicted only after the first use. Crack cocaine is the second most addictive drug in the world, second to heroin. Most drug addicts turn to the drug for two main reasons: it is “fast and cheap” (Nevins). Crack addiction is a very lethal addiction that destroys the mind, body and too often the life of the user. Due to the negative and harmful effects, it is well known among friends, family members of users, as well as many doctors, nurses and psychologists that habitual use of crack cocaine as a cheap escape from life's problems and responsibilities leads to deterioration of many bright and promising young people. In just fifteen seconds after entering the user's body, crack reaches the brain forcing the release of four times the normal amount of dopamine (the "happy" or "feel good" chemical) from the brain, putting the user in an intense state of euphoria. The effect is short-lived, lasting only two to ten minutes, because the brain is forced to release its entire supply of dopamine. The subsequent calculations or "getting off" are much less pleasant than the actual effect. With dopamine levels dropping, many users will look for an antidote to ease the anxiety and paranoia that accompanies the crash. Many users will use heroin to ease the pain of falling. This combination is known on the streets as “using white to get high and brown to get down” or “speed ball”, it is in fact a dangerous mixture of substances. The mental strains of the drug are great. A network in our brain is dedicated to making us do the things we need to do, rewarding us by making us feel good. In the brain of an addict, new neural pathways direct… the center of the paper… overlook. One drug addict in rehab said that, when faced with the choice between drugs and his son, Christian "ninety percent of the time I would choose drugs." This presents drug-addicted children with a very dark and harsh reality. Even when drug addicts are presented with the harmful effects the drug is having on them, many choose to continue using it. Crack is a very dangerous addiction and plagues poor streets and quiet suburbs. Many Americans become addicted every day, hundreds attend rehab, many fail even with help. Crack leads the user down a long path of illness and poverty, which very often ends in death or other serious complications. In the work cited Nevins, Patricia. “Side Effects and Complications of Cocaine” livestrong.com, September 6, 2013, April 3, 2014. Wednesday, Benjamin“Emphysema from crack cocaine?”Medicinenet.com,06/24/2008,web,April 3 2014