The Federal response to the crack problem has been and will continue to be structured around two facts: (1) the crack phenomenon is the symptom of a much larger and complex drug law enforcement and abuse crisis and the introduction of a large amount of cocaine into the United States from abroad and (2) the Federal Government has the resources, expertise, and historical and legal responsibility for reducing the wholesale flow of cocaine into and throughout the United States. Federal initiatives to curb crack involve the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Drug-Free America Act of 1986, U.S. Attorneys and their Law Enforcement Coordinating Committees, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Education. In addition to drug law enforcement and abuse initiatives aimed at the crack problem in the Drug-Free America Act, numerous Federal agencies have provided resources and expertise where feasible and appropriate to programs designed to help State and local governments deal with the crack problem. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has expanded its cocaine prevention and treatment research programs. Further, the Department of Defense has cooperated in successful international drug control operations, and the Coast Guard and the Customs Service participate in drug interdiction. The White House Drug Abuse Policy Office and the National Institute on Drug Abuse are the two main organs responsible for research into the prevention and treatment of cocaine abuse. Crack trafficking and abuse trends in the United States are examined, and the effects of crack are discussed.