In the 1990’s cocaine used to be the chief drug threat in the state of Massachusetts. Even today, the drug is quite popular in the state though the distribution is now limited to the less populous regions. Both crack cocaine and powdered cocaine do their popular rounds amongst the addicts of Massachusetts. Cocaine and especially crack cocaine is considered a serious drug threat in the state. Though only the law enforcement authorities of the state counties and less than 500,000 of the total population identify this drug and consider this drug that dangerous. Ranking next are the other dangerous drugs like marijuana and heroin. In the larger counties of Massachusetts like Essex, Suffolk, Worcester, Bristol, Middlesex and Norfolk, heroin is considered the biggest threat, even more than cocaine. This is because; heroin is more easily available here and has more followers because of its high quality that comes for a very low price.

In the year 1999, the number of substance abuse helpline calls that were recorded statewide, revealed that cocaine was mentioned in 17 % of the calls as compared to 23 % calls concerning heroin. In the years from 2000 to 2004, the use of cocaine dropped to the second position behind heroin. This is based on the fact that more number of heroin cases was registered in the rehab homes of Massachusetts than cocaine. The use of cocaine had also relatively gone down amongst the school age adolescents in those four years.

However, there still have been recent reports of the drug being available in the crack form via marijuana joints. Cocaine is readily available in one of the states of Massachusetts and that is New England. Here, one can get cocaine anywhere between an ounce and kilogram quantities. The powdered form is more easily available in the rural areas and suburbs of Massachusetts.
However, in the inner city, both the forms of cocaine i.e. crack and powdered both are readily available. In the year 1999, the availability of powdered cocaine increased in Boston. The rise had been confirmed by the Springfield law enforcement as well when they seized several quantities of the drug in the region. The smuggling, distribution and use of cocaine are strongly associated with violent crimes in the state. While some smugglers and distributors display violent acts while expanding and protecting their drug empire, there are others who commit violent crimes when stealing the drug or protecting it from getting stolen.