to want to try coke just once?

[CentreParting]

I'm nearing a significant and have a bit of a bucket list.
This is one thing that I'm considering.
Sourcing it shouldn't be a problem.
I've tried softer drugs in my midtwenties, but am now just got a yearning to give it a go in a very controlled environment. But and a little bit concerned about the aftermath.
AIBU to be thinking like this?

Belize there is an assumption here that anyone who took/takes drugs is deviant unhappy etc when in fact it is often just a time and a place.

You could argue that a bit of drug taking and experimenting, especially if it's in your youth and you leave it behind as you gain responsibilities, is not unusual and indicates a fairly normal person. Towards the ends of the spectrum are stoner types and wealthy/media/entertainment industry coke consumers on the one hand; and those who for reasons of religion, upbringing, being risk-averse etc. have never ever tried anything.

Observer poll here gives a figure of 28% who have ever tried any illegal drugs. The reality might be slightly up on that given that a few people might not admit it.

So if it's say around 1/3 of the population they can't all be miserable deviants. A lot of people were just a bit wilder than they are now or got carried along by peer pressure.

Contribute to all the peripheral exploitation around drugs manufacture and supply? Really something to be proud of in your bucket list...

Nothing in my posts is judgmental at all, I'm just pointing out it's quite a normal thing and a person can have tried drugs without necessarily being a walking disaster area.

The exploitation and effects of the industry are another question and obviously a big reason not to support it. That could be an argument in favour of legalisation of course.

Noddy yes I absolutely was not unhappy or discontented when I went through my couple of hedonistic years. I was young, had no obligations and was curious - bit like I was about travelling which I also indulged in a lot. I was and still am quite rebellious it has to be said.

ShowMeSaturn I think most of us on the thread have distinguished between the light use of recreational drugs and the hideous situation that surrounds the production of cocaine or people who become heavily dependent to the detriment of their mental and physical health. I think very few people would disagree that it is shocking and that current policy just isn't working to alter production methods in South America.

Belize where do you assume that the recreational drugs are made ?

Holland if I'm thinking E's.

goinggreyagain - if I'm honest I feel dreadful having this conversation given your awful experience but I have to be truthful too.

I appreciate your honesty. My anger is not just based on losing my son its based on the 2yrs of hell trying to save him. In those two years I had an education that no one should have. I tried everything and enlisted anyone and everyone I could think of trying to help him.. down to going directly to dealers in The Heights in Houston trying to find him. I saw first hand what is involved in the production and the transportation (even then it was still a sanitized view as I wasn't in SA etc) . I can guarantee you that even those light recreational drugs made in Holland pass through the hands of some awful people. Even those drugs cause misery at every step of the way. There aren't just "nice" drug dealers, they all deal in every piece of crap there is (sorry I don't mean that as patronizing as it sound )
I really don't know what the answer is but I do know I can't condone legalizing drugs unless every country that does it uses all funds to fund good treatment programs. Even Holland struggles with trying to treat addiction and or mental issues attached to the drug problem.
What I can't quite understand is the argument that alcohol is legal so drugs should be especially when you look at the amount of damage that alcohol does (?)

My sympathies, grey. I am a native Houstonian myself, also Latina and have lived in S. America. I know what you mean. This is truly a horrible, horrible substance. I have now, through losing DD1, more than a few friends whose children died of drugs, including so-called party drugs that were legal at the time.

Their loss is . . . it is awful.

As bereaved parents, no matter how natural the cause of our childrens' deaths, we all feel guilt. Theirs is compounded by a feeling they should have done something (often did), post-mortems, inquests, even trials, to relive their hell over and over again.

Because it was 'fun'.

Just been reading back a bit and found this from ziggiestardust:

noddy i totally get where you're coming from, i do regret doing them though, my time and money could have been spent doing something that would actually make me feel great. i don't sit and dwell on it every day, in fact i never really think about it but i'd still change it if i went back.

Don't bother! I used to take it quite a lot (before kids) but the first few times were shit as in did nothing, you have to 'get it' before you know what it's about. Overrated

With 'Ecstasy' do people die because of an allergy to the drug itself or because that batch was rotten?

It's hard to campaign against a drug called 'Ecstasy', every time you use the word you promote it. Most of the drug names sound like really cool bands... then you have a word like 'condom' - phonetically ugly and about as unerotic a name as you can imagine, and wonder why safe sex is so hard to promote.

Professor - it can be due to overheating, heart problems, there is a problem where the body has too much water (Leah Betts prime example).

what's strange I was speaking with my boyf, brother and his wife last night about the latest E victim and they said "oh lots of people die every week but this is reported, why?!" as in this was the case that was reported but tons take it, die and it's not a news story.

it can also be down to the fact of a faulty batch or the drug was rotten or some people stupidly take it whilst on other medication.

my brother I think once took E years ago at a rave (going back 20 years) and he collapsed - he was saved by a bouncer massaging his heart and maybe giving mouth to mouth. don't think it stopped him after it.

I never took drugs eg E when I was on antibiotics.

E was I think an antidepressant remedy originally in MDMA form (if someone can enlighten me please tell me).

ProfessorDent I'm out of touch with what causes Ecstacy deaths these days, but in the 90s, when people died after taking pills, it usually became apparent that the pill wasn't actually ecstacy. There was a lot of MDEA going around at one point being sold as Es, I remember, for example. It was similar in effect to MDMA, but more "rushy". It was easier to overdose on IIRC.

Someone I know died after taking a "snowball". It took her days to die and it's possible she could have been saved if she wasn't wasn't put off going to hospital because of the illegality of what she'd taken. I don't remember what was in it, but I do remember people knowing that it wasn't MDMA at the time. I remember the DJ turning the music off once, to warn people off buying them. Something I've never seen before or since. (Probably because people got used to Es being anything but MDMA, not because quality overall improved).

One of the ways people die from actual MDMA, I believe, is overheating. This is has a lot to do with the environment in which pills are taken. Many people like to take MDMA and dance for hours. When this is in hot sweaty environments, sometimes without drinking properly, this could be dangerous. In the 90s, many mainstream clubs refuse to serve free tap water and even turned off the water in the toilets, despite knowing it was putting lives at risk, as they were missing out on revenue from alcohol, and cared more about profit than their punters' lives.

The risk of overheating can be mitigated by taking regular breaks, drinking water and taking it seriously if the environment you are in is too hot.

Tragically, Leah Betts, who became infamous posthoumously when she died after taking ecstacy (I don't know if it was pure or not) actually died because she drank too much water, it wasn't actually the drug which killed her. She must have heard that drinking water was the right thing to do, but she drank so much she overloaded her body. Very sad

Otherwise MDMA is a stimulant, so obvious risks from people with existing heart conditions etc, and it is possible to overdose I expect, although I think you would have to take a fair amount.

This is all off the top of my head, so if you want a proper answer it might need a bit of as google.

Overall though, statistically speaking, the risk of death is pretty low.

the pobble that's really interesting.

yes, I took drugs round about late 90's/2000 mark and AFAIK they were the purer sort but we preferred the MDMA stuff and things called pure caps.

Yes, we also always drank water, rarely cocktails (I did like Sea Breezes though) and I recall the same - clubs charging a fortune for water in bottles and turning taps off. however also clubs hated any A&E scenarios so would have paramedics on standby in some clubs.

Friends (not me so much as I hated the taste) would drink vodka red bull for energy when you think what THAT does to the heart by itself I'm surprised we lived.

I never knew people who died from taking Es but gun shootings and stabbings related to drugs yes a few. sad.

MDMA was originally invented by Alexander Shulgin, one of many drugs he's created. He saw it as an aid to therapy, e.g. marriage counselling IIRC.

It wasn't intended to be taken as an AD, but more as an aid in a therapy session I think.

He (and many others) see this as important work, and did not know or expect it to be taken up in droves by teenagers and young adults having fun!

The empathetic qualities of it genuinely had an effect on my generation I think, however.

The effect it had on the football terraces too is widely accepted by those who were there. Football violence stopped in large part because people who were previously football hooligans were taking a drug that made them want to hug people, is the bottom line! And I think that's great, personally

Here's a video of

To correct my earlier post, he synthesised and tested MDMA, rather than actually "inventing" it.

Hi, don't have time to read the whole thread (will do later) but had to post.

YABU, Don't try it.

I used soft drugs when younger, as did one of my sisters, we have both experienced psychosis later in life and its not something anyone should risk.

(sister who didn't experiment with drugs has never had psychosis).

Sorry for your loss goinggrey

Haven't read whole thread so not sure how it's progressed.
But really OP!
I'm currently watching a close friend battle terminal cancer. And you're wandering whether or not to risk your life by giving cocaine a go!
Sorry but you're an idiot.

The Pobble - I won't say I know people not harmed by drug use.

I know at least 2 young men and 1 woman who got addicted to coke in their teens/20s. awful stuff.

1 friend of mine died (killed herself) after developing a psychotic mental illness (whether this was due to drugs (she was always the one who did the extra trip, pill etc) we don't know. she also had an alcohol problem.

I never took more than 1 E a night. several people I know took 2-3 or more a night. even now 1 man I know about 40 now he was last I heard still on trips etc and had a "problem".

I think if you respect drugs you may be fine but then again you may not be. I enjoyed my hedonistic period and occasionally have halcyon days and may like to try again, but I wouldn't do it. and when I HAVE taken coke (last time 3 years ago) it was a huge let down/come down for me.

How's the post progressed? Well the OP's not here any more it would seem, and we're kinda talking generally about drugs.