Cocaine use

[user1490969170]

I am 36 and don't use cocaine. Never have. Although none of my closest friends do, it has become common place in my wider group of friends and acquaintances. It's mainly used by the blokes recreationally. All family men. Often there wives don't know at all, or aren't aware of the extent.

Is this pretty normal? Am I just naive?

Lots of people I know do it every time they go to the pub or for a party, I rarely go out and of course don’t do it personally as I have a child. All late 20s early 30s, with their own businesses or professional jobs. Two people who are friends of these friends have actually had heart attacks and died whilst on cocaine over the past six months, and they all still continue to do it. Madness.

It been something I have recently becomes aware of.

One of the kids foot all coaches got caught at the Christmas party doing it on 2019. Loads of people didn't think it was a big deal.

I think, because I was oblivious, I didn't really see it. Unfortunately, 2 of my friends committed suicide with quote a lot of cocaine and alcohol in their system. If nor something I would ever touch.

But once you know the signs, you can spot it a mile off. Most are very sneaky and won't admit or do it openly if they think someone with them will judge, ime.

I think normally, the wives do know. They look the other way, so they dont have to face it and put it down to drunkeness.

@Oysterbabe

Personal choice, no different to drinking.

Are you taking the piss? Are you really that clueless about the murder, people trafficking and general pure fucking evil that surrounds the drugs trade? It utterly destroys lives. People just don't give a shit, a bit of fun for them so who cares.

All true of alcohol during Prohibition. It's a criminalisation which is causing most of the harm, not the drug of choice.

@earsup

I work a few hours a week for a yuppy vegan couple...they do it most weekends....all trendy and lefty and woke etc....that sort....they overlook the fact its got bleach, daz, petrol, piss and other crap in it....!!!

I don't get the point of that unless you just want to have a go at people for their political persuasion. It's not like someone who is of the right wing persuasion wouldn't do cocaine.

I agree it's rife. I think depends on social circle.

My ex and most of his mates use coke regularly. They are all mid 30s with respectable jobs, most have a partner, a good portion have kids. Some are teachers, managers, civil servants, business men and women, solicitors, etc.

The amount of money spent, time wasted, the health risks (not knowing what it may be mixed with), and the whole supply chain thing is just madness to me.

My social circle none of us do. 🤷‍♀️

A relative of mine died suddenly though with coke in their system. None of us knew he used it (but neither were any of us shocked he did).

I’ve known people who use it in the past but wouldn’t touch the stuff myself. It’s bad for the planet, eats away at your cartilage and prematurely ages you.

@Just10moreminutesplease

I’m pretty pro decriminalisation for recreational drugs… but I’ve never met someone who regularly does coke who isn’t a bit of a knob head.

I actually think I am witnessing the transformation from reasonable human into knobhead currently. It's also really antisocial for all of us that don't do it.

On a side note...how much would it cost for an average night out on cocaine? Obviously area dependent, but just roughly?

Wouldn’t be shocking to me. Although my friends don’t do it these days. We all have in years gone by and are not totally drug-averse even now.

@user1490969170

On a side note...how much would it cost for an average night out on cocaine? Obviously area dependent, but just roughly?

Area and use dependent. Like alcohol. Could be insane money, could be cheap.

I don't know a huge amount about this but my starting position would be similar to @MrsTerryPratchett's. Alcohol, caffeine, theobromine and nicotine are legal mind-altering substances. There are probably others. As long as humans have found substances that make them feel good/different, they've used them. Other animals do it too. There's no getting away from this.

We need a sensible rational approach to this. The ones that are at least as safe as alcohol should be manufactured/marketed/sold in the same way - heavily regulated and policed, high taxes, some of it ringfenced for health promotion/drug addiction services. Get the organised crime gangs out of the supply chain. End county lines.

I'm in Scotland, and you can get 'cooncil' which is mixed with speed and is @ £40 or 'good' and it's between £60 and £100, apparently.

Why someone would want to take something which has most likely been plugged up someone's arse or secreted in a woman's vagina is totally beyond me.

And that would last you all night?

Pretty much everyone I know uses it

I know one person who uses coke, she has a very alternative lifestyle. None of my other friends use it and never have to my knowledge. I dabbled as a teenager but wouldn't say I 'used' it. More tried it once but didn't get the hype.

@Babadook76

Pretty much everyone I know uses it

Nonsense. Do your grandparents use it? Elderly neighbours? Children?

I don't use cocaine neither do any of my friends of varying ages. We live in or near a large resort town. But I hate cocaine for several good reasons sorry....

In my past experience people on coke act like twats. They have no situational awareness and talk non stop too loudly at best, get agitated and aggressive easily at worst.

You can get cardiomyopathy after a few years of cocaine use, however I knew of a 29 yr old in our ICU who had a heart attack on the rare occasion he used it.
Stroke is also a major risk, physiotherapists I know have seen an increase in young stroke patients due to cocaine use whose stroke injuries just don't make the news.

But the real reason I don't like coke is due to the effect the drugs wars are having on people in developing countries... the human cost, the money going into the pockets of criminals like certain of the unpleasant local drug barons.

I have had friends try it over the years plus colleagues who have had phases with it. I think if you socialise a lot you come across all of this. I however am not one for parties and getting out of control with substances so have only heard about it second hand.

All true of alcohol during Prohibition. It's a criminalisation which is causing most of the harm, not the drug of choice.

Yes, I'm sure that's true.

As things stand, people who buy and use cocaine have blood on their hands, which they choose to ignore.

‘People trafficking’ sounds a bit too naice for my liking.

It’s slavery.

I admit I did used to be around drugs a lot when I was younger and mixed with different people with different priorities but not any more. I don't even drink now because of certain meds I take! Ok I do miss shots & mojitos though.

Late twenties, central belt of Scotland and everyone I've dated in the last couple of years since being single uses it. My brother struggled for years and two of my closest male friends are currently trying to "kick the habit".

The problem (I think?) isn't the drug itself it's how they feel when they're NOT on it. Grown men incapable of having a Saturday night in, or a Saturday night at the pub, or a Saturday night that isn't sitting in a house with randoms taking coke.

Of my female friends, I'm the only one who hasn't done it at some point and I think that's probably because I was the only one to have kids young.

I think it (and all drugs) needs to be decriminalised ASAP.

It's a helluva drug

Its very common yes.

If you look at how many people die per 1000 users, its compatible to alcohol. Smoking is more harmful. Mdma is safer, same risk as going for a hike and far less violence caused by it. It should be decriminalised. The current system isn't stopping people from using it.

Imagine if alcohol had only just been invented and suddenly every weekends people are falling down drunk in the streets, there's fighting, cheating, a&e is full. They'd soon ban it. Alcohol is bad too