Rollin,
Great points.
By the time people knew what the effects of crack era, it was too late. I also think that fear of needles and fear of getting aids from shooting up...is what made crack "seem" more appealing (than heroin) to people looking to get high.
Also have to agree with your other point about the music. Funny coming from hip hop heads but I have to think that it's not a coincidence. You couldn't even use slang terms for drugs in songs back in the day and get radio spins...unless it was late night rap show or you were talking anti drug message. Now I think you can say anything unedited on radio.
The drugs now are prescription drugs made legally by Big Pharma....opiods and codeine...so it's interesting that the song references to these drugs get played on FCC airwaves with little interference.