A Bit of Information
In 1984, the crack epidemic began and inspired Nancy Regan’s “Just Say No” campaign. This illegal substance is an addictive, smokable form of cocaine. How do you make it? Mix baking soda with water and cocaine. Dry, crush into “rocks,” and smoke.
I wanted to explore the moment that this invention came into existence. One day, somebody was experimenting and developed what we now call crack. The next day, the world was irrevocably changed, like Morse’s telegraph and Edison’s light bulb.
What would have happened if crack had been invented earlier? Let’s pretend somebody invented crack in 1920. The Roaring 20s would have been radically different, and it is likely that alcohol prohibition would not have occurred because lawmakers would have been focused on bigger problems. The nation of Columbia would have been the center of a huge crime wave leading to epic organized crime all over the world as we saw in the 1980s. WWII would have occurred, but the stoned soldiers would have been less effective, and the war might have spread to South America.
The 1950s would have had a 1990s-style homeless epidemic and a huge drug problem. As a result, the soft 1960s peace/counterculture movement probably would not have occurred. Instead, people would have focused on drug education, healing, and good health. Thus, the 1970s-today culture would have focused on education instead of disco/partying. As a result of this early invention, ~10 billion lives would have been affected, and Columbia’s history would be drastically different.
Let’s invent crack in 1950. The 80s drug craze would have occurred in the Doo-Wop era, leading to the 1960s drug counterculture to start earlier. The Korean/Vietnam War would have been different due to stoned soldiers. The 1970s would have been the beginning of a healing stage, and Disco would have had softer sounds. Perhaps 5 billion more lives would have been affected.
Let’s fast forward the invention to 2010. The 1980s drug problem, organized crime, and Columbian drug cartel problems would have been a minor bump. Plus, Nancy Regan would not have had anything to talk about.
However, introducing crack later would have been combined with the 1990s, the meth epidemic resulting in a drug tidal wave many times larger than the mid-1980s. Side note. Melania Trump says, “Just say no.” Hmm.
The point is that the crack recipe is simple. Baking soda, water, and cocaine. Amazingly, this single sentence altered many lives, yet it does not read powerful. Let’s try it again. Baking soda, water, and cocaine. Nope. Let’s spice it up. Baking soda! Water! Cocaine! That made it read worse.
How does this sentence compare to others? Let’s compare it to one of mine. “Society is fast becoming a brilliant child with a short attention span.” Hmm. One might argue (please make this argument) that this is a better sentence. Let’s think about one of the best sentences ever written, “When I wrote the following pages, or rather the bulk of them, I lived alone, in the woods, a mile from any neighbor, in a house which I had built myself, on the shore of Walden Pond, in Concord, Massachusetts, and earned my living by the labor of my hands only.” The sentence is the opening of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. Wow, no contest, it obliterated the baking soda one.
Yet, that simple sentence has more destructive power than an atomic bomb. “Information is power.” “The pen is mightier than the sword.” “What gunpowder did for war, the printing press has done for the mind.” -Wendell Phillips
We have come full circle. A simple concept can have a considerable impact. It depends on how, where, and when we apply our ideas.
You’re the best -Bill
June 03, 2020 Updated February 15, 2025
I wanted to explore the moment that this invention came into existence. One day, somebody was experimenting and developed what we now call crack. The next day, the world was irrevocably changed, like Morse’s telegraph and Edison’s light bulb.
What would have happened if crack had been invented earlier? Let’s pretend somebody invented crack in 1920. The Roaring 20s would have been radically different, and it is likely that alcohol prohibition would not have occurred because lawmakers would have been focused on bigger problems. The nation of Columbia would have been the center of a huge crime wave leading to epic organized crime all over the world as we saw in the 1980s. WWII would have occurred, but the stoned soldiers would have been less effective, and the war might have spread to South America.
The 1950s would have had a 1990s-style homeless epidemic and a huge drug problem. As a result, the soft 1960s peace/counterculture movement probably would not have occurred. Instead, people would have focused on drug education, healing, and good health. Thus, the 1970s-today culture would have focused on education instead of disco/partying. As a result of this early invention, ~10 billion lives would have been affected, and Columbia’s history would be drastically different.
Let’s invent crack in 1950. The 80s drug craze would have occurred in the Doo-Wop era, leading to the 1960s drug counterculture to start earlier. The Korean/Vietnam War would have been different due to stoned soldiers. The 1970s would have been the beginning of a healing stage, and Disco would have had softer sounds. Perhaps 5 billion more lives would have been affected.
Let’s fast forward the invention to 2010. The 1980s drug problem, organized crime, and Columbian drug cartel problems would have been a minor bump. Plus, Nancy Regan would not have had anything to talk about.
However, introducing crack later would have been combined with the 1990s, the meth epidemic resulting in a drug tidal wave many times larger than the mid-1980s. Side note. Melania Trump says, “Just say no.” Hmm.
The point is that the crack recipe is simple. Baking soda, water, and cocaine. Amazingly, this single sentence altered many lives, yet it does not read powerful. Let’s try it again. Baking soda, water, and cocaine. Nope. Let’s spice it up. Baking soda! Water! Cocaine! That made it read worse.
How does this sentence compare to others? Let’s compare it to one of mine. “Society is fast becoming a brilliant child with a short attention span.” Hmm. One might argue (please make this argument) that this is a better sentence. Let’s think about one of the best sentences ever written, “When I wrote the following pages, or rather the bulk of them, I lived alone, in the woods, a mile from any neighbor, in a house which I had built myself, on the shore of Walden Pond, in Concord, Massachusetts, and earned my living by the labor of my hands only.” The sentence is the opening of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. Wow, no contest, it obliterated the baking soda one.
Yet, that simple sentence has more destructive power than an atomic bomb. “Information is power.” “The pen is mightier than the sword.” “What gunpowder did for war, the printing press has done for the mind.” -Wendell Phillips
We have come full circle. A simple concept can have a considerable impact. It depends on how, where, and when we apply our ideas.
You’re the best -Bill
June 03, 2020 Updated February 15, 2025
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