To think people are naive re cocaine

Do people really not care about the impact of drug trafficking and cartel wars on innocent people. Or the massive environmental damage cocaine does due to deforestation and polluting of water ways. Or just about their own high. I hope none of them claim to care about climate change if they are actively taking a drug contributing to the destruction of the amazon and loss of biodiversity..

Yes its very common and very addictive and it causes heart problems and its cut with other stuff and it can kill you, for men it takes the edge off inhibitions and there is also another behaviour where men use and then use sex workers im not saying all men do that

I've never seen anyone use cocaine. I don't go on nights out much these days, but I used to when I was younger. I see (or rather smell) weed being smoked openly on the streets practically every time I visit a town centre, and when I was younger I had friends who did amphetamines, ecstasy or mushrooms, but I've never come across cocaine. Absolutely not saying OP is wrong but I think it does depend on the circles you move in.

I don't know about now, because I'm old but in the noughties it was all over the place in London and amongst London professionals. It was seen as a middle class, party drug and sometimes aspirational, as some types of alcohol are also viewed. I do know from acquaintances that this trickled down to the more traditional working classes and was common in certain pubs. I would have thought it was a bit passe by now, but evidently not!

I was never a drug taker, neither were my close friends (always thought alcohol was enough), but we were all aware of it around us.

I think there's a perception that it's a harmless, clean, acceptable drug, unlike something like heroin that has scumbag associations. Like alcohol though, it does damage to varying degrees, and while some people are able to partake recreational, there are always those who are not.

Many of the problems associated with drug use are due to its illegality and could be removed quickly by legalising and regulating. Then we could deal with the health problems which are huge as well.

I admit I am not at all aware of how common cocaine habitual consumption is in the UK.
Whereas I can accept it doesn't necessarily cause drastic behaviour changes in some (a lot? No idea) people, I am convinced in causes lasting brain and general health damage. No question about it.
The drug industry is operating at a huge scale. This includes cocaine production, transport and distribution. It is a criminal world where lots of children and women are being destroyed (mentally and physically) or killed. Drug money funds other dark and extremely harmful activities like prostitution and arms dealing.
How the fuck do these 'normal' members of society live with themselves knowing they are a big part of this problem??? They are paying the money, they are the buying customer. You buy your bit of cocaine which means your money is going directly into a system where people, human beings are being murdered and are subjected to suffering. Because of your stupid cocaine social (or otherwise) habit. This goes for all other illegal drugs as well.
So these consumers are, supposedly, fully functioning, with a largely unaffected brain capability. They must be utterly stupid if they can't see what their actions are doing.
I would absolutely loose all respect for an individual if I found out they are taking cocaine or other drugs in this way. Fucking morons.
Not to mention the big problem of drug addicts who are in a very very bad situation and in no position to help themselves by that stage.
Destroying your own health and life, affecting the lives if your family and friends and murdering and hurting people who make the drugs from some far away places by proxy.

A crack head is going to sell crack are they?

They can't sell crack or heroin because the market is dominated by people with guns and things. The local guys you are talking about can go and buy drugs for you from the actual dealers. They aren't dealers. I can tell you arent very versed in this because you're talking about a few grams of weed in this same conversation.

I don’t think I’m naive to it, I get it’s widespread but I still think it’s disgusting and will very much judge those who do it along with those who minimise the impacts of it in individuals and society.

And I’m not a massive pearl clutcher, I’m supportive of legalising cannabis, but cocaine is a bridge too far.

This post says more about you and the company you keep more than anything.

Agree it is very common. Some people I worked with in creative industries used to take it. It does change personality. Certainly made our boss an aggressive asshole.

But I don't go out now and wouldn't have realised at all how common it was until a friend of mine shocked me while pregnant. She was angry because her dh took it on a weekend and she obviously couldn't and she was missing it. She's a teacher. Don't know if she still does it. I suspect she might occasionally.

Another friend told me half the football kids' parents were buying from the coach. She'd accidentally found out, won't say how as might be identifying, but there ended up with violence and threats.

So yeah, it's everywhere and part of a normal night out these days.

Glad I don't go out anymore.

I agree it’s rife but I don’t personally see it in my circles.

When I went to hospital recently with a sudden health scare, I was asked several times by different doctors if I had taken cocaine. I am a middle aged teacher. (Yes I know some middle aged teachers take cocaine.) The guy next to me in the waiting room in A&E told me he was there as he had taken cocaine earlier that evening and he felt so ill that he was never taking it again.

It's so common that it's almost normal nowadays. That's a scary thought.

Totally agree. It’s funny that OP thinks it’s other people who are the naive ones

Totally agree OP. I don’t take it but a good friend and his partner do occasionally. They both have senior, professional roles, one in the civil service.

It’s not just cocaine. I know other nurses who regularly smoke cannabis.

I dont view cocaine any differently to alcohol
you can have some at the weekend and do your work well in the week.
OR, You can overdo it every day and it affects jobs, relationships and mental health.

I agree people are very naive. Cocaine is the drug of choice among young adults these days. These are kids in sixth form, college, university. Both of my kids know of people doing coke at parties and in student houses. (even at one sixth form prom by all accounts). When I was that age coke was the elite drug for those with money. Not any more.

Whatever happened to the cost of living crisis? I'm still struggling with food and utilities - I don't have £100 spare at the end of the month for a bit of coke!

I wonder exactly how much money is being spent untaxed in this way, and what the impact is on the economy? Like, how much better off would we be as a country if people were spending that £100 on alcohol or fags instead of drugs?

Yeah... no. If you asked for white, you'd have a cracking dealer round. Cocaine is called other names though some round here do call it "white girl" on occasion. White and brown refer to crack and heroin though.

Unless you're targeting universities, the vast majority of county lines are about selling craxk and heroin in small cities and towns.

Snow and white have been used to describe cocaine who do you think transports the cocaine? Do you think county line customers don't use cocaine? Do the drug dealers use special people to deliver cocaine? I live in the city centre, a lot of people sell, a lot of the young fellas won't sell heroin or crack, they look down on those types of addicts but they'll happily whip you up a few grams of weed, ket, or cocaine.
The crack heads sell heroin and crack.

Off the top of my head I can think of at least 4 people in my quite small social circle who do it. I also used to have a friend who had a massive friendship group, almost all of whom regularly did it. I think it is very common. But not harmless at all.

I worked in drug services for years. Cocaine is known as ‘white’. Crack is rock, stones etc.

No it is the other way around. Craxk refers to the solid processed form of cocaine. It has a specific chemical that I forget removed so you can smoke it. All crack is derived from cocaine. Not all cocaine is crack.

Absolutely. I don’t touch the stuff and neither do some of my friends but SO many people do. I would say most men I know under the age of 40 do it when they go out for a drink. Most of the girls don’t though.

Definitely depends on your social circle. Completely normalised in some areas. A friend of mine was shocked to discover her DH was ‘dabbling’ with it when out with his work colleagues or on golf weekends! I did say she was incredibly naive (he’s a well known coke head) she then said he reassured her by saying ‘everyone’ did it as it s a good pick me up when you’re on a big drinking sesh!!

Thats the mentality that’s out there for many hitting their 40’s. As for the younger generations, I can see it has been normalised (sometimes by their own parents) and opening snorting in the crowd at a festival is ok, compared to actually going to the toilet like the generation before them!