מחקר חדש מדווח כי 46,000 לונדונים משתמשים בקראק, נתונים גבוהים הרבה יותר מהערכות קודמות.
דוח שפורסם השבוע קובע כי אחד מתוך 100 לונדונים בגיל 15-44 משתמש בסם הממכר.
אחד מעורכי הדוח, מאימפריאל קולג' בלונדון, אמר כי למרות הזהירות שבפרסום הדברים , ניתוח הנתנים מראה כי קיימת בעייה משמעותית.
המחקר התבסס על נתונים ממרכזי גמילה מסמים, בתי חולים ובתי מעצר משטרתיים.
מכורים לסמים חיים בדרך כלל בסגנון חיים קאוטי, ומבצעים פשעים כדי לממן את ההרגל. בתים בהם מתגוררים המכורים לסם עלולים להוות איום לסביבה הקרובה.
למרות שהשימוש בקראק
Mr Hickman added: "Although crack cocaine use has been a cause for concern in many countries since the 1980s, there has not been the predicted epidemic across the UK until now."
The study by researchers from Imperial College and Bristol University was published in the Society for the Study of Addiction.
"Kaz", a recovering addict who has struggled with drugs for 25 years, said crack addicts could be seen all over London.
He told BBC London: "Any little street corner, any little hole that you pass, they are in there, smoking.
"They are even smoking in the streets in broad daylight, walking with their pipes in their hands, even at bus stops."
Ranjani Utpala, from The Harbour - a treatment centre for crack dependence in Coldharbour Lane, Brixton - said: "The focus for too long now has been on the mainstream drug users, which are the opiate users.
"I think, because of the increase in people using crack cocaine, there's a need for services such as The Harbour, that will target the specific needs of crack users."
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