by Terry Gotham

Cocaine. Even the word sets people off. Americans who have no intention of doing it know it’s associated with power, money and women (in that order). Movie after movie hypes the drug, tons of this stuff enter the country illegally every week and it’s been used to prosecute raves, venue owners & bring down parties for longer than electronic music has existed. It’s impossible to discuss dance music, parties or burner culture around the globe without bringing up cocaine. Even Burners talk about it being all over the playa, just like the rest of the world. The titrated/processed form of the coca leaf, traditionally chewed slowly throughout the day, has become the drug of choice for the busy, the arrived, the self-important and the “elite.” Even the Pope is bringing the difference between traditional & recreational usage to the forefront with his visit to Bolivia. As I’d said in an earlier article, I believe that people use cocaine as a marker of social status, possibly more than as the medium-grade stimulant it actually is. People who are really into stimulants move on to amphetamines, especially crystal meth pretty quickly, as the cost of maintaining a heavy cocaine habit is prohibitive for everyone not working at Goldman Sachs.   Continue reading →