title: Un Jalón, Un Volteón, y Otra Vez: High-Risk Crack Smoking Paraphernalia in México City.
abstract: During the past decade, crack smoking has increased in Mexico among poor urban populations. Despite this increasing prevalence, little is known about the types of paraphernalia used and related sharing practices and physical harms. Data come from in-depth semi-structured interviews and observations with 156 current crack smokers in Mexico City. Findings reveal a complex, crack-smoking process in Mexico City that represents an interconnected structure of paraphernalia items and pipes that could contribute to detrimental health consequences. Specifically, we identify essential paraphernalia items that make the smoking of crack possible; describe the homemade construction of two categories of pipes; and detail the sharing practices and physical harms associated with these paraphernalia. Results point towards a smoking process that is embedded in impoverished urban neighborhoods sustained by an accessible street-level crack market. Discussed are the policy and intervention implications associated with reducing crack-related health consequences in Mexico and other Latin American countries.
authors.affiliation: a Professor, School of Social Work , University of Southern California , Los Angeles , CA , USA.
authors.forename: Avelardo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valdez
authors.affiliation: b Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology , University of Miami , Miami , FL , USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Nowotny
authors.affiliation: c Associate Professor, School of Social Work , University of Maryland , Baltimore , MD , USA.
authors.forename: Nalini
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Negi
authors.affiliation: d SEISYC AC , Mexico City , Mexico.
authors.forename: Eduardo Zafra
authors.initials: EZ
authors.lastname: Mora
authors.affiliation: e Associate Professor, School of Social Work , University of Southern California , Los Angeles , CA , USA.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cepeda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000074101:Cocaine Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016578:Crack Cocaine; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D011204:Poverty Areas; D012309:Risk-Taking; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016578:Crack Cocaine
keywords: Crack; Mexico City; health risks; paraphernalia; urban neighborhoods