To think people are naive re cocaine

These are people who answered a specific survey

No, crack dealers usually deal heroin too. Cocaine is more for people who supply party drugs. Different market when it comes to the dealer and consumer.

Crack is a smokable form of cocaine. Will be part of the same supply chain.

On the most recent collated govt figures (2023) just under 10% of 16-59 year olds used any prohibited drug at least once in a year, and of these users, around 1/5 used coke. So, if you see it "everywhere" it's because of your lifestyle.

And yes, cocaine changes behaviour - which is why people take it. Take too much of it too regularly and it becomes an addiction. Take up your dealer's suggestion that you try injecting it or smoking rocks for a better buzz and you have problems very quickly.

That's leaving aside that you don't actually know what you're snorting (about 40% or more of the coke is something else). The absolute decimation of communities and countries across Central and South America because people in the UK want to feel good. The significant criminality around supply in the UK, based often on drawing young, vulnerable people into illegal and dangerous behaviour.

It's not non-users who are being naive here about the consequences of the behaviour of a small minority wanting to party.

Crack is processed heroin but it is a very different drug in terms of how it influences lifestyle.

Yep, might explain why my next door neighbours can stay up til 2am on Saturday entertaining friends all happy and laughing whilst raising 4 DC. Youngest being 4yo...I would rather have my sleep.

They don't get up until the afternoons....what a waste of a day. No idea how the kids stay quiet to allow them to "rest". Mine are always up 7am latest at weekends!

I think you get a distorted picture from your own bubble. Coke was never rife in my sector of my husband’s. I just didn’t see it in my early 20s at university or my graduate roles. First time I became more aware was at a friend’s hen do with one of her relatives who was using all weekend and then that wedding where said relative was completely high and basically neglecting her toddler. I did judge tbh as her need to get coked up at a wedding and nights out was clearly coming over and above her children. I then became more aware again where I was at a school fundraising ball and there was a chunk of parents snorting in the toilets and acting like twats. I mean who the fuck thinks it’s ok to snort coke in school toilets in their 40s?

And what do you think crack is?

Nothing new. 20 plus years ago when I worked as a lawyer in the city, colleagues were always using it. I never did. Still never have and I think less of people that do - even my kids that have. And it absolutely does affect personality in some people. The ones I know became utter assholes and incapable of managing/prioritising workloads or understanding that they weren’t managing. Like believing they were the dogs bollocks yet being useless

I’ve never taken drugs.
I do think it is more common amongst certain types of people.
I don’t go out at night much. If I do I tend to drive and so do my friends and family.
I think it depends on who you mix with,
I don’t go near areas which are full of potentially drunk, aggressive, shouty types it’s just not for me. That said I might have neighbours and work colleagues who take drugs, who knows. They are not close friends. But I don’t have one single close friend who takes drugs.
Without sounding irrational, lots of people are in denial. This is true for lots of things not just drug taking. Husbands working away from home get up to lots of inappropriate behaviour.
I also don’t have sympathy for anyone who drives whilst under the influence of drugs. Harsh sentences are the way to go.

We've had difficulties as well growing up. DH and I didn't have much money or material goods growing up. Life was hard. Never found the need to take drugs.

Yeah, common. Not my thing, personally.

I am definitely naive. I’ve never been around it nor as far as I know around people who take it either. I’d not have the foggiest who to ask to get anything like that, not that I’d want too. I find it scary as hell to be honest.

K

I know DS drinks occasionally. He's told me. I know he tried weed once in first year. I also know he went to a house party where there was cocaine and ketamine available. He told me he did resist the temptation because he knew it would be wrong.

DS now barely even drinks and doesn't enjoy it anymore. He didn't enjoy hangovers anymore. He's have a cocktail he likes the tastes of and that's it. He'd never do cocaine as he's terrified about getting a heart attack and dieing.

And I know my DH. He'll have a glass of wine at dinner. We've argued about smoking. But he's never ever done drugs.

DH and I grew up in India. The party/drugs culture was not there at the time.

Yes I was definitely naive for a long time.

I grew up very working/lower class and so did all of my family, friends, colleagues etc and so I wasn’t around it that much and although I knew it was happening, it wasn’t a regular thing amongst our people.

It was only when I started being around middle and upper class people that I recognised how common coke is.

I work in a prison and alongside a drug charity and coke especially is so common in middle and upper class people, especially certain professionals.

I know it’s especially common in professions like lawyers, surgeons etc and I’ve heard stories of how it is a common thing to have before the start of an important meeting or at the end of it or to share with certain clients.
They liken it to people having an alcoholic drink, where in some professions it’s part of the culture, especially if it’s stressful or you need to be a good people person.

Could you please explain the signs you reference? I think I can detect a lot of them. But I had an unfortunate few dates with someone who turned out to be a user and I hadnt notice until I caught her red handed and now I'm afraid of dating again. She 'sniffled' a lot but so do I and I've never touched it, I just have a sensitive nose!

Very sad indeed. And those who enjoy it for the thrill are directly responsible for the gang violence and exploitation that trickles down the chain, all the way down to the poorest of the poor in developing countries. Sickening and selfish behaviour.

I find alcohol more addictive, for some reason. I can sometimes drink moderately, but sometimes I binge which isn't very healthy. It is also very fattening.

I live in a small town in Cornwall. It is rife here. You just need to start looking about yourself and you'll spot it.

I live near 3 pubs (not for much longer, hooray!) and the drug taking is rife, coke the most popular by far, then dope and those stupid gas canisters. Our door opens onto the street and my gas box and window ledge were both used as cocaine tables all during the night. A few years ago put up spiky metal railings to protect the front. Stopped it, well by mine anyway.

It's just a shame that everyone's coke habit is causing so much misery in this country, with county lines and children being used and abused in the drugs trade. Awful.

Of course lots of people use cocaine. Also, lots of people don’t.

I imagine it might be common in your social circles in the bigger cities, specifically London, Manchester maybe. Do you live in London? But otherwise not something which is common with people in the circles I socialise in. I think it’s a class thing too. It seems Weed is the drug of choice for the lower classes, whereas Coke for the middle and upper classes.

I mean occasional use of alcohol isn’t harmful anyway.

Cocaine is sold in too expensive quantities for it to be the kind of drug you buy through survival crime. You can get crack for as little as ten pound. Cocaine starts at around 50. Not many people sell half grams.