To ask what are your opinions on social cocaine use?

[sshroom]

I am finding that it is becoming more acceptable to use cocaine socially.

Friends and people that I know take it at weekends, at parties, bars or clubs and sometimes on a night in with friends and a bottle of wine.

These people are teachers, sahms, childcare workers, administrators, financial advisors and social workers so a real mix.

Is it becoming more socially acceptable? Would you have a problem if your friend did it occasionally?

I knew some academics who were social drug users when I was younger. Being with them was like wandering into a black whole of insecurity and neuroses, it was absolutely horrible. I would never hang out with drug users again, they really aren't my thing.

It's fairly ridiculous comparing cocaine to alcohol. It's like comparing caffeine to crystal meth. Sure, both are addictive drugs, but not all drugs are equal.

All drugs are not created equal. Check out some actual research on the relative harm and tell me cocaine and alcohol are so different... (Hint, they aren't).

profdavidnutt.wordpress.com/2010/12/09/drug-harms-paper-a-summary/

Never across it socially even when at uni. Not socially acceptable at all.

I've never seen anyone take cocaine or even heard of anyone I know taking it. Doesn't mean they don't obviously but in my little world people drink, might smoke but that's kind of about it.

It wouldn't bother me if a friend took cocaine providing I wasn't left to be responsibile for them/bail them out/sort out a mess they get into.

I have lived a long and full life. I have never known a regular cocaine user for whom cocaine was not the most important thing in their lives.

Cocaine and alcohol couldn't be more different when you look at the harm caused by their production, transportation and sale.
Picking up a bottle of wine at Tesco is not contributing to murder.

"It's not 'more acceptable' in my world, but then I accept that I'm not a big partied and don't hang out with that sort of crowd."

This ^^

We lead a quiet life and don't go round bars in city centres. I don't know anyone who has admitted to taking cocaine.

The only drug that my friends indulge in alcohol, and not to excess.

I don't think cocaine is socially acceptable, and everyone I know wouldn't find it socially acceptable either, and it never has been. The only adult I know who smokes weed is my cousin and he is now on anti-depressants.

You must live in a different world to me OP.

If a friend of mine took cocaine I admit that I would judge them privately. I also would not bail them out.

I don't know anyone who uses cocaine (or any other illegal drug). I would not be able to be friends with someone who regularly used illegal drugs. I've never used any myself and have no interest in it. I don't know anyone who uses any illegal drugs. I couldn't even begin to know where I could even buy any.

I know of three parents of friends of my DCs who have massive issues with coke. It may be widespread, but I'd never see it as socially acceptable.

I don't know anyone who uses cocaine (or any other illegal drug). I would not be able to be friends with someone who regularly used illegal drugs.

Unless you live a very sheltered/segregated existence, I would put money on you having friends who have done/occasionally use drugs, but they will be aware enough of your views to keep it totally from you

sparechange I think it depends on your peer group. I can honestly say that I don't know anyone who is a cocaine user, occasional or otherwise.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but it doesn't happen in my circle. So I don't know why you think that this couldn't be the case elsewhere as well.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but it doesn't happen in my circle

I bet it does. Just because you don't know about it, doesn't mean it isn't happening.

I think you have to be an absolute mug to risk taking drugs. How does anyone know they'll be the "one line and walk away" type? I bet none of the desperate junkies we've all seen ever had an ambition to be like that. At some point it was just one line/joint/pill for them. I have a special level of judgement for parents who do drugs, and I don't care who thinks that's wrong. By the time I was 4 or 5 I could tell if my father had taken coke or something else. Coke turned him into even more of an arrogant, nasty bastard than usual. At the time I obviously didn't know the actual drugs, just that if he was smoking or injecting he'd likely be asleep earlyish, but if they were sniffing then it was best to stay well out of the way.

Has to be said though, I'm equally as judgemental of anyone who "needs" to get seriously drunk to enjoy a night out either, especially if they know it turns them into a knob and they still do it because their night trumps the nights of those who have to deal with them.

I have two friends who were social coke users in the past. None of them use at all currently. I have a small group of friends and we're all on the same page drug use wise, and alcohol level wise. I can't do friendships with people who aren't on a similar page, it just brings back too many bad memories.

Why is it not acceptable?

Chipped I think your views have been coloured by the people you mix with. None of my friends take cocaine.

Don't be so condescending. These aren't people I "mix" with they're parents of children at my DC's school.

Unless you are with your friends 24/7 you can't actually guarantee they they aren't using, even occasionally.

Every drug has its peculiarities and IMHO, coke is one of the worst. It makes people aggressive and paranoid. I would not be in the least surprised to learn that the people responsible for the Paris massacre yesterday were high on coke. At least heroin just turns them into thieves.

It is a really bad for your heart so I would be surprised if it is that common with most people

Turned a friend of mine paranoid and violent

Supply chain is my issue - in s amercia terrible things happen because of the cocaine trade

Cocaine is no more damaging to you than alcohol. They are both toxic to your body but fair enough they both give you a buzz and you enjoy yourself so if people want to do it to their own body that's fair enough with me. The alcohol drinkers who condemn recreational drug use are hypocrites as they take drugs recreational as well, they are just lucky we legalised their drug.

Drug use is not socially acceptable by anyone in our social circles. I have a few friends, who work in the Mental Health Services and they would say that, there is a lot of drug induced psychosis and prescription medication addiction nowadays. A lot of their clients are from 'normal' backgrounds (whatever 'normal' is) and of all ages.

Alcohol drinkers who condemn use of a substance that leads to murder, rape and the destruction of the environment is not hypocritical. Cocaine is actually the least ethical product that you can buy, a fact conveniently forgotten by the morons drinking their fairtrade coffee while recovering the next morning. The impact on your own body is not the only consideration.

Chipped I was talking about my friends. I don't "mix" with the parents of the girls she is friends with at school as she is at high school.

DontHaveAUsername "Cocaine is no more damaging to you than alcohol"

Sorry but you're very wrong, cocaine can kill you via cardiac arrhythmia irrespective of the dose size and whether its the first or 100th time you've taken it. Users don't build up tolerance the way people can to opiates or alcohol. Furthermore, cocaine accelerates the development of coronary artery atheroma, putting users at increased risk of a heart attack long term.

It wouldn't bother me at all.
I wouldn't have a relationship with a user & I'd hate my kids to ever use drugs, but my mates? Up to them.