Cocaine was once considered a "luxury" drug. But today it is easily accessible and cheap, which makes it a mass danger. People order it quickly, easily and discreetly - "Instead of pizza, the courier brings you cocaine".
"There is no longer a social group in society that does not use cocaine," Heike Zurhold, a sociologist and criminologist at the Center for Addiction Research in Hamburg, told ARD. The data shows that the number of adults in Germany who use cocaine has doubled in the last ten years. The health insurance fund “Barmer“ They even say that the number of cocaine users has tripled in the last ten years.
"Instead of pizza, the courier brings you cocaine"
Analyses of wastewater in German cities also show how much cocaine consumption has increased - based on traces of the drug found in the water. In addition, police and customs have been uncovering record quantities for years. In 2017, eight tons of cocaine were discovered in Germany, and in 2023 - already 43 tons, and this is only a small part of the quantities on the market, according to the ARD.
The easy availability of the illegal drug leads to a drop in prices. Consumers have no problems securing the quantities they need - through social networks such as “Telegram“ cocaine can be ordered easily and discreetly. "It works like a regular courier service - but instead of pizza they bring you cocaine," explains Heike Zurhold from the Center for Addiction Research.
Why do people use cocaine?
There are many reasons for using cocaine. A study by the Center for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research shows that many people use cocaine to stay awake and energetic, as well as to throw off their inhibitions. "In the short term, it really increases energy," psychiatrist Ingo Schäfer told ARD.
Cocaine prevents the breakdown of the happiness hormone dopamine in the brain. The result: more of the hormone remains in the brain and causes euphoria. But the effect lasts an average of 30 minutes - From there, mood swings and cravings for more doses can follow.
"At some point, you just can't do without cocaine"
Hagen Decker tells ARD how quickly sporadic use can turn into addiction. He snorted his first joint at the age of 25 in a Berlin club. "Soon after that, however, I started using cocaine not only on festive occasions, but also before work. And at one point, I started needing it "for everything", he recalls. He was addicted for 15 years.
The case is not unique, ARD notes: one in four cocaine users develop a psychological dependence, experts say. The body gets used to the drug and many people gradually increase the dose to continue to achieve the same effect. "At one point, I couldn't even clean with a vacuum cleaner without taking cocaine first," says Hagen Decker.
The health effects on the body and psyche
The dangers of cocaine are enormous. "Cocaine is a drug that should not be touched," warns psychiatrist Schaefer. Cocaine sharply narrows the blood vessels and can lead to heart attacks or strokes in young people.
However, cocaine has a particularly strong effect on the psyche: the end of intoxication is characterized by depression, helplessness, fatigue and exhaustion, but also aggression, anxiety and a sense of guilt. The more intensive the use, the more severe the consequences. Cocaine can lead to chronic anxiety and panic attacks, sleep disorders, paranoid ideas or narcissistic behavior, writes ARD.
The long road to recovery from addiction
Overcoming cocaine addiction is difficult and long. Hagen Decker succeeded with the support of his then partner, who took him to a doctor. In the end, after the inpatient detoxification, three months of withdrawal therapy followed. "There I learned to understand why I am addicted and how I can stay abstinent," he tells the German public-law media.
Hagen has been "clean" for 2.5 years. Together with another former cocaine user, the two host a podcast in which they openly share their experiences. Hagen points out that he has not yet completely overcome his addiction: "I don't use, but I still feel the addiction every day - sometimes more, sometimes less. Being addicted but not using - is a daily struggle and a lifelong task."
The growing use of cocaine in Germany is a worrying development, experts tell ARD. The drug is accessible, inexpensive and, to many, initially appears harmless, but consumption often turns into a destructive addiction.