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crackhead, and how addiction and drug use is viewed and discussed broadly, is racialized and always has been. there's a reason the word crackhead exists and is used as a joke on here, but there is no equivalent term or joke for opioid users.
it's not because white people do not also experience addiction to crack or because black communities have not been harmed by the opioid crisis.
it's because of very intentional messaging and criminalization around crack and around opioids.
it's because of very intentional messaging and criminalization around crack and around opioids.
Black people living in the Northeast have spoken about this at length.
Non-medical opioid use is treated as though it's a tragic suburban epidemic. The people who die due to complications stemming from the opioid use sometimes get to be seen as people because they're white.
Non-medical opioid use is treated as though it's a tragic suburban epidemic. The people who die due to complications stemming from the opioid use sometimes get to be seen as people because they're white.
That's not true for crack. Honestly, even Black people who smoke weed are still disproportionately punished for it despite weed's popularity in suburban communities. Like even stoner v. pot head. Stoners are so cool bro !!! Potheads are lazy wastes of space. Lmao.
I didn't realize that I didn't put a TW at the top of the thread, so hopefully this works.
TW for mentions of drug use, criminalization, and addiction above.
TW for mentions of drug use, criminalization, and addiction above.
2 Points of Clarification:
1. Drug use should not be criminalized. I do not want white people who use drugs to be criminalized the way Black people are so that things are "equal". Please don't qrt me with that point.
1. Drug use should not be criminalized. I do not want white people who use drugs to be criminalized the way Black people are so that things are "equal". Please don't qrt me with that point.
2. I think everyone should abandon this language, but especially white people who have started to use crackhead as a way to call people funny or erratic. That term is racialized and always has been. If you didn't know, you do now. So stop.
Since people keep replying w/ "but meth head"
1. Methhead does not make crackhead not a racialized term, nor does it invalidate the continued racialization of drug use and addiction.
2. How many people are using methhead in their qrts of viral videos? https://twitter.com/Pseudo_Lain/status/1317980247619473409?s=19
1. Methhead does not make crackhead not a racialized term, nor does it invalidate the continued racialization of drug use and addiction.
2. How many people are using methhead in their qrts of viral videos? https://twitter.com/Pseudo_Lain/status/1317980247619473409?s=19
3. I'd also argue that meth use is discussed differently when used by Black people, too. I'm thinking of Black queer people in particular, which is part of the reason why Ed Buck was/is covered by media how he is.
More on that: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/patrickstrudwick/racism-meth-sex-destroy-queer-black-lives
More on that: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/patrickstrudwick/racism-meth-sex-destroy-queer-black-lives
I just realized y'all keep replying "meth head" because you think my saying there is no comparable term of ridicule is me saying that white people who have addictive relationships with drugs and drug use do not experience ableism and abuse. You don't have the range. Bye!
Criminal Justice or Public Health: A Comparison of the Representation of the Crack Cocaine and Opioid Epidemics in the Media https://petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/resources/article/criminal-justice-or-public-health-crack-cocaine-opioid-media-comparison
The War on Drugs That Wasn't: Wasted Whiteness, “Dirty Doctors,” and Race in Media Coverage of Prescription Opioid Misuse https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5121004/
Is the Prescription Opioid Epidemic a White Problem? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5105018/
“Crackhead” Is an Anti-Black Pejorative https://filtermag.org/crackhead-is-an-anti-black-pejorative-period/
