Do you or do you know others who take cocaine?

[clairemcnam]

I have been surprised reading here about people talking about taking cocaine. I don't know anyone who does and I never have. I have never been offered coke either. I know two people who used to take cocaine, but both of them say they used to take everything going. But apart from them, no one.
What about you?

Lots and lots. Not me, but I have frequently been embarrassed to be clearly part of an event where most others are high. I’ve even had to make sure not to go to the toilet with friends/acquaintances at social events because I’d be embarrassed if they were to offer me some. Being asked if I need the loo is a sure sign.

I’m sorry to say OP that some of the people with influential and responsible jobs, or in media and events, see it as normal. some workplaces on a Friday afternoon have some very ‘interesting’ delivery couriers.

I could go on. It’s nothing new, but I really don’t like the way it makes people behave. It makes people transgress boundaries and disregard rules in a careless way. ( I don’t mind a bit of rule breaking in a thoughtful way). It also breaks down relationships with power and hierarchy; partly by dint of it being illegal and ‘naughty’

knowing wink @bigTillyMint!

I have one friend who I would guess has probably tried it. At work, who knows? I don't tend to have close work friends.

I've never taken anything illegal. I remember about half a second of ?pethidine hitting me just before I was out for an operation, and that was astounding. No way am I going to pursue that, id be bankrupt and dead very quickly imo.

also it encourages risk taking behaviour: which is why it’s rife in the financial sector. As in: doing lines at work on the desk.

Never tried it myself but know lots of users. I work in a pub in a small town in the south east. Most people in the pub are users and quite open about it. I have had non local customers ask me if I know where they can buy some from.

These people are from every age bracket, every social class and every type of profession.

I know quite a few people who used to use it. Especially at uni and in the years after. One said they used because 'you get the high without the hangover'. I can spot it a mile off now, wide eyed, chatty, sniffing or wiping their nose, chewing gum or gurning. It's not my bag. Pun intended.

I haven't ever taken it but it's more common than you'd think. I was surprised going through my 20s and learning how many people I knew that used it. I occasionally smoked weed years ago but didn't ever try anything else.

My old flatmates did use cocaine and offered me the first time but never bothered me again when I declined. I know a few friends/acquaintances who have as well but not in my company and some people who are in their 60s who do it like once a year 'as a treat'.

Not my thing and none of my close friends do it as I personally wouldn't want to be around people who would do that.

I dont know anyone other than my step sister (who's boyfriend is in prison for dealing)

However I think I live quite a sheltered life and could well know lots of people who do but I dont realise. DP knows someone from the pub and he spends half the night in the toilet so I assumed he had IBS until DP corrected me...

I dont even like taking my nasal spray for hayfever so dont see it working for me

My DF stopped drinking at his local pub, the one he'd been a regular at for well over 40 years, after it changed hands and became infiltrated by coke heads. You couldn't even go for a piss without stumbling upon someone snorting a line, and they do act like arseholes when off their faces and it just ruined the atmosphere there and so he just stopped going. He wasn't the only long term regular who stopped drinking there because of it either.

It is rife, and you'd be amazed at how many people are doing it. I do judge them, they are always a bit sad and pathetic in my experience. Think they are really cool but are so far from it.

The majority of people I know do it, although not people I know through my current job (healthcare) that said everyone at my old job was at it too

I did it a handful of times in my 20s when partying in London, with an ex who was into the drug scene (weed, pills, etc) and then a couple of times in my late 20s.
Would never do it now though, as a parent.

Even in my local village pub near an affluent rural market town, I would say about half the people aged 20-50 are taking it regularly.

I know loads of people who do and me and DH used to do it alot pre kids.

Not worth doing it with kids though. Makes you stay up all night basically and the come downs were awful sometimes. But it is good at the time.

In NI, the area I live it is the norm, I have personally never tried it but I could get a bag of it no problem if I wanted some.

@womaninnit we have some deliveries floating about my workplace on a Friday afternoon too

Yes used to a lot pre children. Lots of my friends did and many still do although less frequently.

In my professional life it’s been absolutely rife. Most people I worked with hardly even bothered to hide it.

Since having children I might on a very rare occasion but only if I had childcare and certainly not much. It’s a lot less appealing now.

Lots of people when I had a social life 20 years ago. I expect it's worse these days.

I've never touched it but have been around plenty of people who have. Surprised at the purely middle class association - it was rife about 10 years ago with musicians (local bands not well known and very much working class) I used to socialise with, as was weed, not so much acid or pills.

I've never met someone on cocaine who didnt drive me insane, it turns you into an unbearable egotistical bore.

As an aside; anyone else remember the "what does that stuff actually smell like?" Talk to Frank advert? That's all I think of when someone mentions cocaine.

Nope.

I knew someone who took amphetamines.

I tried pot brownies- never again.

For some reason it's the cocaine set who annoy me more than other drug users. I've been around people who use a lot of weed, mdma, speed and acid and that's ok. It's the cocaine users who seem to be arseholes.

OP you probably know lots of people who have taken cocaine. You just don't know they took/take cocaine.

I remember being floored one night when exbf and i had people round to our flat after a night out. He did a line of coke on my coffee table. I was gobsmacked. I had no idea he did it. We broke up over actually. I had no interest In making a life with someone who took drugs. I still feel the same way about drugs over 20 years later. It just shows that you actually never really know.

I’ve obviously led a very sheltered life. If never taken it and don’t know anyone that has. Tried weed once as a teenager and hated it. Illegal drugs just don’t appeal at all. I’ll stick with a glass of wine. Wouldn’t have a clue how to get hold of it and wouldn’t want to.

coffeegrounds With close friends, we have talked about whether we have taken drugs, and if yes what drugs. So I do know. My brother and sister are both religious and won't even drink alcohol, so I seriously doubt they have taken cocaine, and I would be absolutely gobsmacked if they had. Yes my nieces and nephews may have, they wouldn't tell me though, and yes colleagues and acquaintances may have.
But I do go to parties and I have never ever been offered cocaine or seen obvious signs of it. I see people smoking weed though. Reading this thread though, it looks as if being in your 50s as I am, probably just puts me outside the demographic to see cocaine.

it looks as if being in your 50s as I am, probably just puts me outside the demographic to see cocaine.

My point was rather more that you don't have to see it for it to be happening.

Just because you don't see it, just because people say they don't or have never taken it, doesn't mean a thing.

My ex and I spoke at lengths about drugs; you can imagine my shock when he snorted a line off the coffee table. Up until that point I would have sworn in a court of law he didn't do coke.

I know tonnes of people who do, did and never have.
I agree that some posters have clearly led a very sheltered life.