To think people are naive re cocaine

[Knockonw00d]

I see threads on here all the time where women find out their husband has been doing coke etc and are absolutely floored.
But it always amazes me how oblivious people are to how common it really is. I’m childfree and in my late 20s and i go on nights out almost every week so you get to know all of the other regulars in the bars. I do not know one person that I’ve met through going out that doesn’t do cocaine.

These people have professional jobs Monday - Friday. Some of them I know are teachers, nursery staff, work in the passport office. It is so common.

I also see a lot posters describing a change in behaviour and people suggest it could be drugs. But unless you’re doing things like heroin or spice, cocaine does not make you act in the ways people suggest.

Do people really not know how common casual use of cocaine is in this country?

Then what is she saying.

Cranky by name, cranky by nature?

Now re-read what I wrote with a conversational tone and you'll see how to was actually written and intended.

I can't control how you perceive the written word. Tone doesn't translate well in flat text.

Just because illegal drug use has been normalized for you doesn't mean it is normal for most people. It may be more common than it was, but that's just market forces.

Taking a drug isn't just wrong because it's illegal. Never have I disliked someone more than the "ethical vegan" wearing Traidcraft jumpers who would happily buy coccaine whilst ignoring all the crime and human misery it took to get her that white powder.

I'm sure it's more common than I think it is, if only for the reason that most people presumably don't use it completely out in the open. But I'm pretty sure that most of my social circle don't use it. We're retired, don't go to clubs etc but probably drink more alcohol than those in their 20s and 30s. At that age, we were all rampant smokers - it was practically compulsory! Times change and new crazes and addictions always come along.

Cocaine use in your childfree twenties is very different and you are only seeing the fun edge of the sword right now.

You will find a lot of them will stop using it throughout their lives but some of those won’t.

Some can still do it ‘recreationally’ every now and then. I think every line is a risk of addiction and tipping over. Some will become addicts and will start to be badly affected, and I have seen it ruin some of my ‘coke fun’ friends lives and families. It is devastating for their partners and children.

A few snorts a week is very different to needing it to get out of bed in the morning or spending your child’s birthday money on it.

The behaviour people mention is a sign of addiction and abuse rather than just ‘using for shits and giggles’ and it grows subtly not suddenly, which is why a lot of partners miss it at first.

Also… 20’s and childfree - you do feel like shit on a Tuesday after a big weekend.. you just don’t have to deal with kids and family responsibilities aswell! So you don’t get as moody and it’s not as obvious.

And I have worked with coke fuelled bankers and they are wankers, and it is obvious, and lots of them lose their jobs when it goes too far.

Cocaine ruins peoples lives. Just very slowly and it’s rarely reversible.

I agree with your point around hypocrisy.

All of the recreational drug users I know are left-leaning, liberal type people, very into equality and workers rights - but seem never to turn their minds to where the drugs they buy are from, what’s the supply chain, who is supplying them.

Taking drugs in and of itself isn’t morally wrong - it’s no different to me having a few wines and a few cocktails. The big difference is that I know where the wine and the cocktail
ingredients come from (on the whole).

Of course I agree not every single individual of a given species has done it or will do it. And I appreciate that as society changes, 'acceptable' use changes. Snuff, cannabis, opium etc were all legal if we go back even to Edwardian times-if we say nobody used those things recreationally I'll eat my hat.

But my point still stands. Drugs is a part of life for many and assuming we can and will eradicate it seems ludicrous to me.

In my stripping 'career' if you can call it that I had it snorted off every inch of me by professionals, tradespeople and who knows who else.

It could be related to industry(or lack of) that's an interesting observation.

I tend to think it is more acceptable in many social circles nowadays. It's no longer a shock to figure out someone takes drugs-there's obviously a heirarchy-coke, acceptable. Heroin, 'loser drug' to be terrified of.

Alcohol becoming more expensive means a lot of young people choose 'uppers' rather than getting drunk nowadays.

I recently found out at age 39 that all of my friends (group of 12) at uni did Cocaine throughout Uni and our 20s. They never did it with me, or in front of me, and I didn't know they were doing it. It was such a shock to hear. They said they never involved me or told me because they knew I would never have done it, and I would have judged them for it.

Exactly this.

I am aware of maybe one person that has done cocaine and they're more of a friend of a friend.

I tend to think it is more acceptable in many social circles nowadays. It's no longer a shock to figure out someone takes drugs-there's obviously a heirarchy-coke, acceptable. Heroin, 'loser drug' to be terrified of.

It’s no longer a shock for YOU.

If you’ve had people sniffing coke off your body and worked in strip clubs not surprised you have a. Seen a lot of people doing it and b. Aren’t shocked by finding out someone does it.

For many of us though, we don’t move in those circles, those aren’t our experiences and it’s perfectly reasonable for me to be shocked if my friends or partner or nieces turn out to be “recreational” cokeheads.

@TooManyCupsAndMugs spot on. In our nice town I’ve seen poor kids on bikes, phone in hand, meeting some meat head in a blacked out 4x4 and passing stuff through car window. These kids can’t just decide not to do it anymore they are trapped. These dealers are nasty bastards who think nothing of threatening families and inflicting violence. I too know that doing coke is really common, I tried it in my younger more selfish days and it felt great but think of the chain of misery you are funding. I do get offered it from time to time but stay clear now. Still think the most dangerous drug is alcohol though if you look at the stats

Oh definitely in the strip club realm.

But years ago I'd have been very shocked to learn that professionals were regularly doing it in my local pub (I live in a village, very 'old man at the bar with his dog' sort of place).

Whereas I wouldn't be now, now I know just how common its use is among so many different spheres of society. This is from working in clubs but also working in law enforcement, and (later on) in mental health.

Of course people take it in clubs. But for me It's who takes it in the clubs. It wasn't (just) young nobby from the local estate, or some flashy tanned guy with a gold chain and gold teeth- it was solicitors teachers doctors lawyers law enforcers.

I don't 'move in circles' where my friends and family do it. But through working in both law enforcement and the sex industry, I have learned that it is far from an 'us and them' thing. I can believe people's close friends and family are not coke users (mine aren't either!)but their dog walker/hairdresser/local shop owner/mechanic they go to/kid's teacher etc etc?

Everyone knows someone who does coke.

With cocaine are you able to have control over your actions after? As in some base level control not to assault/hurt another person?

Yes.

I think you need to work on your reading comprehension.

Absolutely.

I've read your comment, thank you. There's nothing conversational about the tone.

I asked you a question - you've told me my question is absolutely pointless, haven't answered the question, proceeded to lecture me on something I haven't asked about because it reinforces your opinion on the matter. You're speaking at me, not to me. That's the opposite of conversational, it's dictatorial.

But well done with the killer insult about the auto-generated username and suggestion that the problem lies with my comprehension of the written word. I'm obviously devastated and definitely don't think you're an obnoxious twat now.

Of course people take it in clubs. But for me It's who takes it in the clubs. It wasn't (just) young nobby from the local estate, or some flashy tanned guy with a gold chain and gold teeth- it was solicitors teachers doctors lawyers law enforcers.

This person understood the point.

I know 4 teachers who do cocaine. So I guarantee some of you definitely DO know people who do cocaine

I know 5 teachers - none of them do cocaine, or any drug.

Anecdote is not data. And you're starting to come across as some desperate to "prove" you are "right".

Quite. I imagine there is a high correlation between men who use cocaine and those who go to strip clubs where they allow men to snort off the womens bodies.

Even if we know someone who does cocaine it doesn't make it alright. If I knew someone who did, I'd judge them and yes think what I said earlier on in the thread.

Why should jobs be bringing in routine testing? It’s none of the employer’s business what employee’s do in the spare time except for a handful of roles where it may impact their ability to do their work

I lack no sense of wisdom or judgement about cocaine, but I have zero experience of it.
That does not make me naive about it, in the mildly derogatory way used in the OP.
One doesn’t need hands-on experience of it in use by close friends or self to know the issues that banned substances cause - and as PP have pointed out, not just the usage of it!
Being shocked that a loved-one has been spaffing money on drugs, the effect of which could jeopardise their job and ultimately their family’s security is because of the breach of trust, more than the fact that in some places, “everyone” (although I don’t believe that for a minute) is doing it.
And I think you need to raise your bar, OP, and find somewhere else to go out to where not everyone is on cocaine - you’ll have a much better evening!

I would say OP I am not sure this is accurate. I definitely know people who do cocaine. Quite a few. But I know more who never do it and some who have tried from time to time if others are doing it but would never buy it themselves.

I think it depends on your circle and environs.

I do know a lot of hypocrites on the topic of drug use though (as in they do drugs but hate drug dealers.)