“Woke coke” may be ethically sourced, but it’s still terrible for oral health

The term "woke"-meaning a heightened awareness of social justice issues-has become a mainstay in Gen Z and Millennial vernacular, but what in the world is "woke coke?"

To put it simply, it refers to ethically sourced (or consumer-conscious) cocaine. This also means that everybody in the cocaine supply chain is being treated humanely and paid a reasonable wage.¹

Over the past few years, collective interest in eco-friendly lifestyle options has popularized products with adjectives like "green" and "sustainable" tacked onto them. Now more than ever, consumers are more apt to ensure what they're buying is good for the environment, and while this primarily pertains to the food and waste industries, drug dealers selling through the dark web are now marketing their cocaine as "ethical."¹

To appeal to predominantly liberal, middle-class buyers, dealers are using buzzwords like "fair trade" and "conflict-free" to describe their product. This is especially ironic given that the National Crime Agency (NCA) reports that just one kilogram of cocaine requires the destruction of one acre of rainforest. Not only that, but the production process releases chemicals that can sully the local water supply and damage drinking water for humans and animals.¹

Even still, a Global Drug Survey from 2019 noted that 85% of respondents were willing to pay more for drugs that they believed were "ethically sourced."

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However, Australian journalist Antony Loewenstein notes that many dealers selling "woke coke" have no way to corroborate or confirm that their product is ethically sourced, making it unlikely that their claims are even genuine.¹

Cocaine's effect on oral health

Many "green" or "ecofriendly" products claim to be better for consumer health, but that's not the case with "woke coke." Iit's just as bad for users' oral health as any other type of cocaine. Repeated use can erode the gums and enamel over time, increasing the risk of decay and caries.

Cocaine use can also lead to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain, acidic saliva, oral lesions, gingivitis, rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, a hole in the septum or palate, and tooth loss. In fact, a small 2021 study reported that cocaine users were 46% more likely to lose their teeth, have more frequent/severe cavities, and a higher risk of gum disease.²

As dental professionals, understanding the oral health implications of cocaine use-whether or not it's marketed as "woke"-is essential for providing comprehensive care and educating patients. Dentists can play a critical role in mitigating the oral health consequences of cocaine and other drug use.

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