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?

@Itsnotokay123

This is my life right now, he came home again last night after using Coke, there were 2 bags. One on the sofa and one on the floor next to our sons toys.

Our marriage is now over.

Hope you’re okay. How awful and potentially dangerous to find drugs near your son’s toys.

My cousin has had an eating disorder since she was a teenager and has used cocaine regularly in part to keep off any weight. She had to get an operation on her nose when it caved in like Daniela Westbrook. She’s upper middle class and always wearing designer clothes/lots of make up on. Strangers comment on how thin and pretty they think she looks. I think she looks skeletal and ill. I disagree with legalising it.

@Itsnotokay123 and @scooterbear I am so sorry to hear of what you’re both going through. Stay strong x

@Lanareyrey

Another thing that pisses me off is that some of my friends were so reluctant to have the covid vaccine, but yet shove shit up their nose constantly and are pretty much verging on alcoholism.

This. Beyond hypocritical really isn't it. Will take recreational drugs laced with god knows what and chance of a fit/heart attack after a dodgy line but won't take a goverment approved vaccine

If a friend of mine took drugs they would not be my friend anymore. Despise drugs and the users. Lowest of the low. I have zero empathy towards the users who make life a misery.

@londondreams1
Alcohol is indeed very dangerous for some people. However the majority of alcohol consumed is produced within the law- on the whole, and we know what ingredients are iin our drinks. Although poorer parts of the world will have some alcohol that isn't produced in controlled environments. People are not exploited from production to consumption unlike cocaine where the damage is endless.
Growing/tending the crops
Exploitation of the poor/vulnerable
Production in horrid conditions
Selling involving vulnerable people, including children
Distribution by vulnerable people who are forced or do it for money
Use of children - county lines
Drug use to survive or cope working in prostitution
Then stand back and watch the devastation

I don't know if decriminalisation would work, but it is not the same as alcohol.

I totally agree with this @Valenciaoranges

I am affluent and live in London. Don't kmow anyone who takes it and if I did, would cut them out of my life. I find this kind of thing lame in adults.

I'm not convinced that legalising drugs would work. In countries where cannabis is legal there is still a thriving black market who can produce a better quality, cheaper product.
It won't be taxed for a start. You can legally buy cigarettes but you have to pay a lot tax on them, leading to a market in smuggled tobacco.

Also not gor decriminalisation. This comes up every time there's a thread on this.

I know people who used to take drugs all the time. The criminal aspect wasn't the issue except obviously for the poor people who are involved in producing it as I'd think their work conditions might be better if it was legal. But tbh, based on modern slavery happening on British farms, I'm nog convinced that would be the magic bullet people make out.

The issue is that it fucks up your brain. So does alcohol tbf and I also try not to be around people who drink to excess anymore either as I don't drink at all and being around really drunk people when you're sober isn't always that much fun. But drugs are another level really. It's also a bit like alcohol with coke in that some people I think take it all the time and get away with it, while others look a mess immediately and cannot stop.

My point being that if it was legal I can imagine these dumb dumbs buying a fuck tonne every weekend and fucking up their hearts and brains. Look how we can't even be trusted with alcohol. People behave like pigs on a night out (not everyone who drinks of course, but a noisy minority). If we made coke legal those same dickheads would absolutely ruin themselves and probably take their families down with them.

And I meant I am not FOR legalisation in my last post. My phone hates me and changed it to gor

yanbu! I was shocked when I grew up and found out my parents, aunts and uncles, their friends, mil and fil, cousins, bil everyone does cocaine.

I think the worst thing was listening to stories from my bil and DH. We all grew up I suppose, around the drug scene. I was a girl so shielded from it, but when the boys reached the age of 18/19/20 they were encouraged to do it as 'they were old enough' and basically used and abused. They had to buy it but the older people who were telling them they are old enough to buy it kept it in their pockets because they weren't old enough to have the whole packet (is that the right word?). Basically the older people in our family manipulate the younger men into buying their drugs for them as teenagers. It's sick but totally normal apparently. Oh and girls are always lied to unless their 40 and doing it too. 🙄
Exact same story from 2 men from different families.

Dh stopped thankfully, but he had a baby and moved out before he was introduced. it was a year or so before I found out and somehow he managed to quit. Rarely goes out so I know its true.
Bil on the other hand was younger when he was shown the ropes of addiction and he is still struggling in his late 20s.

This is why it's so hard to break out of what you know, and why some people are doomed before they even are conceived.

I also know more well to do people do it and if you're middle class doing coke, the dealer is charging you more for less and laughing about it.

I was around it in my early twenties and I remember all involved were like everyone takes it! Dr's, mum's, dad's, everyone! In reality, I think some people do, but not as many as people who take coke like to think.
It sort of gives you that mentality, you are the normal one for taking it, everyone that doesn't is a boring sad old twat.
Coke is totally evil and I'd cut anyone out of my life for being involved in it.

It’s a social drug most users use when out with friends

It makes the users bores to everyone else

I think many would be very shocked it they realised what is being mixed with it especially in the last few years (of course everyone thinks their drug dealer is honest and only sells pure drugs)

@Lanareyrey

Absolutely agree. I have a friend who is quite emphatic about not getting vaccinated, but regularly takes coke. It's made me lose a lot of respect for her to be honest. Moreover I have seen first hand the effects of county lines on teenagers and so it's appalling to be taking something that's central in the exploitation of vulnerable young people.

@insuretothecore

yanbu! I was shocked when I grew up and found out my parents, aunts and uncles, their friends, mil and fil, cousins, bil everyone does cocaine.

I think the worst thing was listening to stories from my bil and DH. We all grew up I suppose, around the drug scene. I was a girl so shielded from it, but when the boys reached the age of 18/19/20 they were encouraged to do it as 'they were old enough' and basically used and abused. They had to buy it but the older people who were telling them they are old enough to buy it kept it in their pockets because they weren't old enough to have the whole packet (is that the right word?). Basically the older people in our family manipulate the younger men into buying their drugs for them as teenagers. It's sick but totally normal apparently. Oh and girls are always lied to unless their 40 and doing it too. 🙄
Exact same story from 2 men from different families.

Dh stopped thankfully, but he had a baby and moved out before he was introduced. it was a year or so before I found out and somehow he managed to quit. Rarely goes out so I know its true.
Bil on the other hand was younger when he was shown the ropes of addiction and he is still struggling in his late 20s.

This is why it's so hard to break out of what you know, and why some people are doomed before they even are conceived.

I also know more well to do people do it and if you're middle class doing coke, the dealer is charging you more for less and laughing about it.

Dealers are often MC students. Depends on the dealer.

How would you tell a drunk person from someone that's taken cocaine? Sorry if it's obvious

@insuretothecore

yanbu! I was shocked when I grew up and found out my parents, aunts and uncles, their friends, mil and fil, cousins, bil everyone does cocaine.

I think the worst thing was listening to stories from my bil and DH. We all grew up I suppose, around the drug scene. I was a girl so shielded from it, but when the boys reached the age of 18/19/20 they were encouraged to do it as 'they were old enough' and basically used and abused. They had to buy it but the older people who were telling them they are old enough to buy it kept it in their pockets because they weren't old enough to have the whole packet (is that the right word?). Basically the older people in our family manipulate the younger men into buying their drugs for them as teenagers. It's sick but totally normal apparently. Oh and girls are always lied to unless their 40 and doing it too. 🙄
Exact same story from 2 men from different families.

Dh stopped thankfully, but he had a baby and moved out before he was introduced. it was a year or so before I found out and somehow he managed to quit. Rarely goes out so I know its true.
Bil on the other hand was younger when he was shown the ropes of addiction and he is still struggling in his late 20s.

This is why it's so hard to break out of what you know, and why some people are doomed before they even are conceived.

I also know more well to do people do it and if you're middle class doing coke, the dealer is charging you more for less and laughing about it.

This is terrible. I was too hasty in my post. Obviously if you have been brought up in this atmosphere it is very hard not to take it. Hope your BIL can quit

Most people i know use it. I was very naive when I discovered that pretty much everyone I know partakes!

@MinnieJackson

How would you tell a drunk person from someone that's taken cocaine? Sorry if it's obvious

Bulging eyes, big pupils, fast speech, agitated, hyper active and not slurring their words (ime - look up Frank or something for more accurate info)

Sorry, that^^ was for someone on coke

I'm early 30s living in London and would say the vast majority of people I know have tried it, and about a third do it occasionally, noone regularly. It seems to be more in fashion now for nights out when people used to take more MDMA, don't know if that went 'out' because noone could go clubbing in the pandemic.

Yep it’s pretty disgusting to be honest!! Happily sniff a line off a dirty toilet seat but won’t get a vaccination. So ignorant.

Do you mean you don't see it as different to getting pissed in terms of being acceptable now or do you genuinely not see the differences in addiction issues, chemical side effects, organ damage?

I'm genuinely interested as I know in my kids generation, 30's and 20's it is commonplace. It was commonplace in my youth too but was far more expensive and not accessible in same way which kind of made me question it.

I did try it a few times, it just made me slowdown and focus more but as an adult I have ADHD diagnosis, hence Cocaine would work with my brain. It is incredibly, dangerously addictive and I think this may be why it's so commonplace, there are many more addicts. I've seen so many casualties that are in denial it's the Coke.

I did one line of it in my late teens. It made me feel amazing so I decided never to touch it again as I could see how easy it would be to become addicted. Since then, I never saw anyone do it or met anyone who admitted to doing it until three years ago.

I now know three people who regularly use it. One is a friend who works in the NHS and has children. The others are family members, early 30s and parents. Not on high salaries. They ruined a family party by physically attacking each other whilst coked up.

Someone upthread said it is non-addictive. I've never researched this but surely it must be addictive. There are a fair few celebrities who's loves have been ruined by coke. I understand anecdotally that long term use can cause psychological issues and even hallucinations.