Faith,
It is so overwhelming to have to sit by and see their lives going downhill. My husband got involved in the scrap metal to, actually they are having quite a problem with metal being stolen....it is even being stolen off park benches that people have placed placks on in memory of a loved one, cable wires....some have been caught and charged and in most cases it is addicts supporting their habit.
When my husband was home or around, he was on crack, he would talk talk talk, be like a jumping bean, if he was sitting down his legs would always be moving, soon as he had his hit he always hummed this same tune....that was a sure sign for me. He also started to have this horrible cough, I have heard that they can get what they call crack lung. I can't say as he had any sores, but he was sure letting his hygiene go.
I know he could get a hit of crack for $20 but the high is very short so it didn't take long before the money was gone. Not to long after he was gone from here he did break out in sores, he was on meth now, a better buck for his bang I guess, the high is way longer.
Rose