A new report reveals a concerning trend: young Danes are increasingly perceiving cocaine as a harmless party drug, downplaying its severe health consequences. This shift in perception is raising alarms among addiction experts and politicians, who are calling for intervention.

The report, investigating drug use among young people in nightlife, found cocaine to be the second most prevalent drug after cannabis. Researchers gathered data through questionnaires and interviews with hundreds of attendees at the Roskilde Festival. The findings indicate a tendency to view cocaine not as a “hard drug,” but as a means to control alcohol intake and extend partying, comparing it to “energy powder” or “espresso shots.”

This normalization of cocaine is occurring alongside a surge in its consumption worldwide. Data from the report shows that 8.3% of Roskilde Festival attendees admitted to using cocaine at the festival, while 21.2% had used it outside the festival. Police seizures in Denmark reflect this trend, with cocaine comprising a growing proportion of drug confiscations. Wastewater analysis in Copenhagen also indicates increasing cocaine use.

However, doctors and hospitals are reporting a significant rise in cocaine-related health issues, including acute poisoning, addiction, and psychoses. The drug can trigger paranoia and aggression, leading to violence. Severe damage to the nasal region is also being observed, with extensive cocaine use destroying mucous membranes, cartilage, and bones.

Politicians are expressing concern about this development and advocating for intervention. They believe cocaine’s initial presence in affluent circles may have obscured its dangers. There is a call for a comprehensive plan to address drug use among young people in nightlife, emphasizing the need to counter the accessibility of drugs and the normalization of cocaine use.

Police also view the trivialization of cocaine’s harmful effects as “very serious,” strongly advising against its use due to its significant negative consequences.