It is difficult to pinpoint why a particular individual or group abuses drugs, but many addiction experts say low self- esteem is a critical factor. The history of the African culture indicates that alcohol use was common, in part due to the slave trade associated with the production of rum and tobacco, and that African slaves brought the hemp plant which produces marijuana to the New World. In the mid-1800's, the biggest drug problem was opiate addiction. The medical profession used opium, morphine, and codeine in its medicines as painkillers and relaxers. In the late 1800's, pharmaceutical companies became involved in the importation and dispensation of cocaine and its byproducts. Coca- Cola originally contained not only cocaine but also an extract of the African kola nut that had intoxicating properties. At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a concerted effort to characterize all drug addicts as black or Asian, and racial fears played on by antidrug campaigns worked in harmony with a general wave of racial attacks at the time. Heroin was also a problem among blacks, in part due to the decision by many organized crime families to sell hard drugs almost exclusively to the black community. In addition, the Vietnam War created many black drug addicts who eventually became some of the key sources for drugs from Southeast Asia. The destructive impact of illegal drugs on blacks and other disadvantaged groups is considered, and socioeconomic factors in drug abuse are noted. The author recommends blacks continue to work against institutional and systemic racism that destabilizes communities and compounds the drug crisis. 142 notes