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> They say drinking enough to feel drunk is much worse for your long-term health than a moderate dose of recreational powder cocaine. Then "they" are profferin

> They say drinking enough to feel drunk is much worse for your long-term health than a moderate dose of recreational powder cocaine. Then "they" are proffering dangerous medical mis-advice that you should probably not be repeating on a forum.

dsrguru 15y ago
The they was the World Health Organization. I can't actually find the article, but http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jun/13/bad-science-cocaine-study http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jun/13/bad-scie... suggests it was suppressed by the U.S. government, so I must have read a leaked copy that I can't find anymore. The leaked copy the Guardian links to doesn't appear to exist. But it was found that very low doses of cocaine such as the amount found in tea brewed from coca leaves are marginally healthful, and infrequent lowish doses of uncomtaminated powder cocaine aren't good but aren't very harmful. High doses of powder and basically any effective dose of crack are highly cardiotoxic and addictive. And cocaine combined with alcohol reacts synergistically and creates cocaethelene, which is very, very cardiotoxic. Also, saying that alcohol is even more harmful than cocaine and that you should probably avoid it (well I sarcastically said you should drink it, but no one would interpret the above post as a recommendation for alcohol) is providing very safe medical advice. I don't see how you got me recommending black market recreational cocaine use from my previous post. If that's how it came across, I'd like to make it clear I do not endorse cocaine use either.
- carbocation 15y ago
  * Surely the amount of cocaine found in "very low doses" of brewed coca tea is not what one would consider, in your words, "a moderate dose of recreational powder cocaine." So I don't think that what you've posted really supports your claim that the WHO finds recreational cocaine usage to be less hazardous than drinking enough to get drunk. * Whether or not the US's drug policies are more harmful than the drug itself is a totally different question.
  - dsrguru 15y ago
    My original post said nothing at all about cocaine being good for you. It said alcohol is even worse. I was not referring to coca leaves in my original post. I said "moderate recreational dose of powder cocaine." I was very clear. I really don't see what problem you have with my original post. As for whether or not the typical recreational dose is moderate or high, I have met several people who have admitted to consuming cocaine recreationally at least once, and all of them reported snorting a relatively low amount of powder. That's consistent with what I remember the WHO report saying is somewhat toxic but not likely a big concern if not done frequently. It emphasized that chronic users and users of large doses almost invariably suffer from huge health problems. I don't advocate recreational drug use, let alone powerful stimulates. All I advocated in the original post was that alcohol is awful for you and should probably be avoided. Please stop changing my words.
    - carbocation 15y ago
      > My original post said nothing at all about cocaine being good for you. Who said anything about it being good for you? Neither you nor I, as far as I know. In your original post, you said, "They say drinking enough to feel drunk is much worse for your long-term health than a moderate dose of recreational powder cocaine." You then followed it up with "The they was the World Health Organization." So I don't think it's unfair to read that as you saying: "The World Health Organization say drinking enough to feel drunk is much worse for your long-term health than a moderate dose of recreational powder cocaine." I then reviewed your source and concluded, "I don't think that what you've posted really supports your claim that the WHO finds recreational cocaine usage to be less hazardous than drinking enough to get drunk."
      - Produce 15y ago
        >I then reviewed your source and concluded, "I don't think that what you've posted really supports your claim that the WHO finds recreational cocaine usage to be less hazardous than drinking enough to get drunk." That's because he couldn't provide the source he was thinking of. The source he did post demonstrates why he couldn't find it. >I can't actually find the article, but http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jun/13/bad-scie.. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jun/13/bad-scie.... suggests it was suppressed by the U.S. government, so I must have read a leaked copy that I can't find anymore.

dsrguru 15y ago

The they was the World Health Organization. I can't actually find the article, but http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jun/13/bad-science-cocaine-study http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jun/13/bad-scie... suggests it was suppressed by the U.S. government, so I must have read a leaked copy that I can't find anymore. The leaked copy the Guardian links to doesn't appear to exist. But it was found that very low doses of cocaine such as the amount found in tea brewed from coca leaves are marginally healthful, and infrequent lowish doses of uncomtaminated powder cocaine aren't good but aren't very harmful. High doses of powder and basically any effective dose of crack are highly cardiotoxic and addictive. And cocaine combined with alcohol reacts synergistically and creates cocaethelene, which is very, very cardiotoxic. Also, saying that alcohol is even more harmful than cocaine and that you should probably avoid it (well I sarcastically said you should drink it, but no one would interpret the above post as a recommendation for alcohol) is providing very safe medical advice. I don't see how you got me recommending black market recreational cocaine use from my previous post. If that's how it came across, I'd like to make it clear I do not endorse cocaine use either.

carbocation 15y ago
* Surely the amount of cocaine found in "very low doses" of brewed coca tea is not what one would consider, in your words, "a moderate dose of recreational powder cocaine." So I don't think that what you've posted really supports your claim that the WHO finds recreational cocaine usage to be less hazardous than drinking enough to get drunk. * Whether or not the US's drug policies are more harmful than the drug itself is a totally different question.
- dsrguru 15y ago
  My original post said nothing at all about cocaine being good for you. It said alcohol is even worse. I was not referring to coca leaves in my original post. I said "moderate recreational dose of powder cocaine." I was very clear. I really don't see what problem you have with my original post. As for whether or not the typical recreational dose is moderate or high, I have met several people who have admitted to consuming cocaine recreationally at least once, and all of them reported snorting a relatively low amount of powder. That's consistent with what I remember the WHO report saying is somewhat toxic but not likely a big concern if not done frequently. It emphasized that chronic users and users of large doses almost invariably suffer from huge health problems. I don't advocate recreational drug use, let alone powerful stimulates. All I advocated in the original post was that alcohol is awful for you and should probably be avoided. Please stop changing my words.
  - carbocation 15y ago
    > My original post said nothing at all about cocaine being good for you. Who said anything about it being good for you? Neither you nor I, as far as I know. In your original post, you said, "They say drinking enough to feel drunk is much worse for your long-term health than a moderate dose of recreational powder cocaine." You then followed it up with "The they was the World Health Organization." So I don't think it's unfair to read that as you saying: "The World Health Organization say drinking enough to feel drunk is much worse for your long-term health than a moderate dose of recreational powder cocaine." I then reviewed your source and concluded, "I don't think that what you've posted really supports your claim that the WHO finds recreational cocaine usage to be less hazardous than drinking enough to get drunk."
    - Produce 15y ago
      >I then reviewed your source and concluded, "I don't think that what you've posted really supports your claim that the WHO finds recreational cocaine usage to be less hazardous than drinking enough to get drunk." That's because he couldn't provide the source he was thinking of. The source he did post demonstrates why he couldn't find it. >I can't actually find the article, but http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jun/13/bad-scie.. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jun/13/bad-scie.... suggests it was suppressed by the U.S. government, so I must have read a leaked copy that I can't find anymore.