Heard that Americans consider coke to be recreational drugs, wondering if it’s true and how common is it?

27 comments

1. Some Americans do, most Americans wouldn’t. Its hard to say how common it is, but I absolutely saw a lot more of it in the UK and Copenhagen than I ever would in the US.

2. Cocaine?

   That is true. I don’t mess with that stuff anymore so I’m not real sure, but I’m assuming it’s more prevalent than when I did it 10 years ago.

   With the fentanyl in seemingly everything. I don’t trust powders anymore, or I’d want a test kit.

3. Well I mean it sure ain’t for nutrition.

   It’s common in some circles and unheard of in others. I’m sure you can look up use statistics if you desire.

4. All drugs are recreational.

5. There’s places where coke *isn’t* considered a recreational drug?

   How common it is to encounter varies extremely wildly based on the circles you run in. The days of the Cocaine Cowboys in Florida are a good 40 years past, but it’s still the 2nd most common drug to be found during arrests next to pot.

6. If not a recreational drug, what is it?

   I mean, I know it has medical use as a topical anesthetic but I don’t know how common that is in the 21st century.

7. Not anywhere I ever lived. I mean, if you live in Hollywood or are the Wolf of Wall St or something probably, but where I’ve lived heavy drugs are more a problem that people with problems use to deal with their problems, ending up causing more problems.

8. what else would it be if not a recreational drug? People don’t really take it for their health.

9. I prefer Pepsi.

10. Well it sure ain’t a medical drug. Not in the last century anyway.

    It hasn’t been common since the ’80s. It’s fallen out of style in the last 40 years, because of how addicting and harmful it can be.

    I saw cocaine exactly once. A friend of a friend of a friend brought some to a house party, and the homeowner became furious and kicked him out.

11. How are you defining recreational?

    As something that has no medicinal value? Yes.

    As something to just casual kick back on an afternoon and relax with? Only by drug addicts.

12. We distinguish ‘recreational’ drugs from pharmaceuticals. With that definition in mind, I’d be surprised if there’s any country in which cocaine isn’t recreational – I.e., where it would have some legitimate purpose. We have plenty of more medically-effective stimulants and anesthetics.

13. What country are you in that doesn’t see it as a recreational drug? It has some medicinal uses, but it’s pretty clearly viewed as a recreational drug damn near everywhere.

14. It exists, but I wouldn’t say it’s exactly “common,” pretty much everyone under 40 and not getting drug tested smokes weed though. It’s not the 80s anymore, Europe has been on their coke binge for some time now.

15. When I was doing coke it was pretty hard to find so meth was a the best substitute (don’t do drugs and whatnot) besides Ritalin or something.

16. Generally, nasal cocaine is considered a recreational drug. Smoking crack is not, though.

    Generally, many people can do coke here and there and maintain a normal life. It’s very hard for a heroin addict, for instance, to do the same.

17. Where the hell do you live that it’s considered medicinal?

18. The vast majority of people consider it a hard drug and not a soft recreational drug like weed (despite the fact that it is used for recreation and not medical purposes).

19. Roughly 2% of the (age 12+) population have used it within the past year. For the highest use group (18-25), 4.3% have used it within the past year.

    https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt35325/NSDUHFFRPDFWHTMLFiles2020/2020NSDUHFFR1PDFW102121.pdf

20. Coke is a few steps up from weed if that’s what you’re asking. I’d consider it just a barely a step above Molly and far below Heroin.

    Not super uncommon to happen upon at a college party or club.

21. Are there many other common uses for cocaine other than recreationally getting high?

    I don’t see how it wouldn’t be.

22. A recreational drug is any drug that is not taken for a medical purpose. Cocaine has no medical usage (in modernity) and thus is recreational. Being recreational does not mean it is considered casual or that it is common.

23. I think TV gives the impression that it’s as common as weed, but it definitely isn’t. There might be certain subpopulations where it’s popular, but in general it’s seen as a serious drug and not used casually.

24. Some people might consider it on the lower end of hard drugs. Im pretty sure the US has one of the highest rates of cocaine usage in the country.

    It’s considered a hard drug for sure but it’s also not looked at the same way heroin is. Non addicts aren’t casually looking for a little H after a night out.

25. The only people I know who consider coke a “soft” drug are people with drug problems. Sure, coke isn’t like heroin where it’s immediately addictive. There are people who might use it once in a blue moon while they’re partying and live very normal lives. But that’s not a big percentage of people.

    I personally know ONE person in my life who hasn’t struggled with addiction who has ever done coke. And I’ve known some partiers lol.

26. ehhhh, sort of, I guess? Like people do take it recreationally, but it’s not like weed or alcohol. I think most people would consider it a recreational but pretty hard drug.

    I do see more of it here than in the US, but that’s just anecdotal — I don’t know if the stats actually bear that out or if I’m just in a different bubble here.

27. i’ve never seen a stranger doing coke at a concert/bar/etc, but i’ve been offered coke by friends (which i excepted). so it’s not like it’s everywhere, but i could definitely find some if i wanted to.