The path to crack addiction: perceptions of people under treatment.

Objective:: the objective of this study was to understand the meaning of the harmful use of crack by people undergoing addiction treatment.

Method:: qualitative approach of social research on strategic modality was used. Field observation, preparation of field diary and focus groups, and data analysis through the method of interpreting meaning were carried out.

Results:: the results contributed to the construction of three thematic categories: "The discovery of crack and other drugs" that describes the experimentation with crack and other drugs; "The pain of the pleasure", key category that describes the moments after crack experimentation and that, many times, turns into addiction, which leads the person into a cycle of short periods of attempts at abstinence, relapse, and relentless consumption; and "Return to normal life".

Conclusion:: treating people with crack addiction must be carried out in ways that narrow the distance between these people and their families, society and health care.