...and another thing.

On the subject of cocaine. Not wishing to characterise habitual users I shall try to remain objective. I've always found stereotyping drug users a useful way of avoiding certain types. As I have admitted before I in my youth have experienced different types of substances by virtue of being a university student. Having crawled out the otherside otherwise unaffected I take pleasure upon reflection and obsevation of those who never quite made it out of that dark pit. Again I will try to not sound too judgemental.

Glue sniffers (are there any left?) have red and running nose and are social pariahs. The advertisments in the late seventies and eighties ensured a whole generation of youth (including me) that it was a terribly evil thing to do. Indeed I never ever took part in the solvent abuse craze.

Heroin. Miserable ashened faced homeless, prostitutes with nothing more to life than the next hit. Trainspotting characterises a user well. Having never done it and never will, my source material is only of research. So seemingly these people are already dead to the world.

Dope smokers. Ahh. Yes, having been there and done that I have fond memories. Having no ill effects what so ever apart from the occasional short term memory loss while stoned was all. But far from being dreamy and glamorous, far too much time was wasted lying on the couch listening to trippy music. Too much time wasted doing nothing.

Acid. Not something anyone would do habitually. Although I have heard of stories of people missing for a week only to re-appear suddenly after taking one too many an acid tab. Freaky sounding and looking people. Watchout for them as the chances are, they probably did one too many. Not necessarily a danger to the public but socially on a different plane.

Cocaine. This particular substance I feel is a strange one. Having witnessed numerous people on it and habitual users not on it I safely say this one is for tossers. I have been told that this is the drug for people lacking self esteem. Yes of course it makes you chatty, popular and fun to be with. That's the perception of the user. For the observer and indeed some can tell the difference between a natural tosser and a coked up one, the user can be highly irritating. Taken in small doses I'm sure it helps but I have never ever come across someone who knows when enough is enough. Some say the drug was exclusively for the rich but now is cheaper and therefore available for a wider audience. Bad. Very bad stuff. I do have a mistrust for these habitual users. Experience tells me so. Having to duck most mornings in an open plan sales office because the boss thows a chair across at any random person because he has a really bad withdrawal symptom from the night before is a most unpleasant experience. Listening to someone talking shit all night long is not fun either. Nor is the fact that after the effects have worn off, all that person does is sleep.
I have noticed that I've written about this one in great length. The reason why is that given the last fourteen years I have experienced and have witnessed a variety of substances taken, they are nothing more than a shadow in my history. Cocaine however is something that some people I know of is a part of their lifestyle. Not only that but as I have a mistrust of people who sniff the stuff as easily as an alchoholic does with booze. The sad truth of it is as much as I like some of these types of people, I just can't ever trust them. Is it fair on them? No. But at the same time are these people really who they are or just their persona a consequence big bag of the white stuff? With dope, you know that person is stoned. With coke, it is much more difficult to spot the user. Although the next time you walk through your office and spot the office tosser then the chances are that they also sniff cocaine.