posted
Somebody at work yesterday mentioned that old warhorse of a drug myth: "75% (or pick a number) of 20 dollar bills have cocaine on them."
I can't for a second believe this is true. But after an HOUR of google searching, I haven't even been able to find out how many 20s are in circulation. I can't find the mythical study, I can't find anything on this. We've all heard it- and of course my co-workers said: "the news said it was true!" Bull hookey.
Without actually knowing the numbers, I would guestimate that there are half a billion 20 dollar bills in circulation. That could be WAY off the actual number, but I think whatever the number is, it's just not enough bills for people to have rolled up and snorted cocaine out of- that is the "reason" why so many people claim the cocain is on the bills.
Of course I pointed out the far more reasonable hypothesis, that drug dealers might carry 20s and cocaine in the same containers, or that drug dealers might deal with cocaine and have it on their fingers when they handled twenties... but of course my co-workers were not impressed with my (logical) logic. They would insist that more than half of all the 20s in america have been rolled up and used as cocaine straws.
Please, help me prove this is a ridiculous, laughable idea.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
Here's what Snopes.com has to say. As much as 80% of bills have found to be cocaine-tainted, but it could be that one cocained 20 in the ATM cocaines the rest of the bunch.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
As practical demonstration of how silly a notion the "used as coke straw" thing is, just take a 20 and roll it into a straw you would find acceptably tube-like.
Then try to re-flatten it into what you encounter as normal for any paper currency in general. I suspect that you'll find turning a 20 into a straw leaves a few obvious signs of its history.
Show that to your friends.
Posts: 300 | Registered: Dec 2002
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posted
Thanks Tante- I should have consulted snopes before posting here.
But I'm glad I did- thanks Lavalamp for the suggestion. The problem is that I think, somehow, my coworkers will find a way to disbelieve me. What I love about people who get such stupid ideas in their heads, is that they stolidly refuse to accept logical, obvious reasons why they are wrong, and yet they will accept the most insane explanations for things like this.
I am looking forward to the conversation: "yah, well, that still means there's a HECK of alot of cocaine out there in circulation!"
16 micrograms is not a heck of a lot. And the fact that "contaminated" could be as little as a billionth of a gram should say a whole lot about how plausible the image of millions of Americans sticking 20s in their noses really is. Some things we know are just silly right away.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Molecules are pretty small. Did you know that in each breath you take, there are a few molecules of air breathed by Albert Einstein and several more breathed by Alexander the Great?
If it only takes one molecule for a bill to be considered tainted, it might be true that most are tainted, but it's still not very interesting. Entropy is just like that.
Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Lavalamp: As practical demonstration of how silly a notion the "used as coke straw" thing is, just take a 20 and roll it into a straw you would find acceptably tube-like.
Then try to re-flatten it into what you encounter as normal for any paper currency in general. I suspect that you'll find turning a 20 into a straw leaves a few obvious signs of its history.
Show that to your friends.
After it's been pressed into a stack of bills at any number of places?
No, no it doesn't.
Posts: 4313 | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
I never knew that the tainting was supposed to be from turning them into straws. I always assumed it was from being passed off by users/dealers, drug deals, etc.
Learn something new every day you come to Hatrack, I guess.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
Well I think that's the logical conclusion KQ, except my co-workers insisted that the most cinematic and unlikely reason was the right one. It doesn't help that the local news is always running some story like this one and then letting everybody jump to the idiotic conclusion- it's so pointless.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Tatiana: Molecules are pretty small. Did you know that in each breath you take, there are a few molecules of air breathed by Albert Einstein and several more breathed by Alexander the Great?
Since Einstein lived longer than Alexander, and also has had less time for his breath-molecules to be spewed into space, subducted, deposited as minerals, and whatever else happens to air molecules, there would be more Einstein-molecules than Alexander-molecules.
But really, that's not the most interesting comparison. There are also more Hitler-molecules than Alex-molecules; and all three together cannot begin to match the amount of carbon dioxide from Holocaust crematoria.
Posts: 10645 | Registered: Jul 2004
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Tis the largest denomination which comes out of AutomaticTellerMachines. I've yet to run into one which passes $50s or $100s.
"I always assumed it was from being passed off by users/dealers, drug deals, etc."
And small quantity distributors are constantly measuring&handling cocaine and receiving&handling cash. The $20s are eventually passed on by those sellers for purchases from their suppliers. When the supply chain reaches ~kilogram purchases, the $20s are matched weight-for-weight with cocaine on a balance scale. Saves time and removes the hassle of counting by using the convenient ~1gram weight of US banknotes.
$100s are used for impromptu straws. There is such a thing as etiquette you know... ...though the 500euro banknote is coming into fashion. The whole point of cocaine is conspicuous consumption: ie proving one has lots more money than brains, which still vastly exceeds ones morals. Hence the popularity amongst fashionistas and WallStreet suits.
posted
Well casino atms give out 100's aspectre, not that I frequent casinos
In regards to contamination you should talk to your friends about a certain residue that has a higher concentration on all US currency. With this little kernel of knowledge you could tell them just how full of it they are, and tell them what you think of their story in one breath. There is a greater concentration of fecal matter one US bills, then there is on the average Americans toilet seat.Talk about transfer huh?
Posts: 120 | Registered: Jan 2007
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quote:Originally posted by Tante Shvester: Here's what Snopes.com has to say. As much as 80% of bills have found to be cocaine-tainted, but it could be that one cocained 20 in the ATM cocaines the rest of the bunch.
The phenomenon is international: here's a recent ABC article about how 94% of Spanish banknotes have traces of cocaine. The same caveat is applied of some banknotes likely having residue due to contact with other bank notes, rather than having been used for snorting cocaine.
Posts: 2926 | Registered: Sep 2005
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