North East

Inside Out found evidence of the drug in seven out of nine pubs. 

But why should we be worried? 

Well, because as our story demonstrates - a social habit can quickly turn into something that can wreck your life.

We asked Ged, a former cocaine user, to tell his story of cocaine addiction and eventual recovery.

Ged's story of cocaine addiction...

Other people around me were using cocaine. I'd never taken anything in my life before, so I just thought let's have a go.

Ged - happy to be drug free.

I started using every now and again when I went out and it just escalated from there until I was addicted.

By the end, I was spending a couple of hundred pounds a day on my habit.

I was burning the candle at both ends and I'd use cocaine to keep me going.

I'd get up hungover, so I'd have a line to pick myself up, I'd get in the pub for 11, do another line. Then probably another line before 12.

A few more pints, then another line - just so I didn't feel tired.

My mind went loopy.

For example, I was sat in my mate's house one night. I'd been out, had a lot to sniff.

There was some work going on at the church over the road.

I was sure that there were people watching me from the scaffolding on the church - but there was no-one there.

I made my mate shut all the curtains, turn all the lights off, turn off the TV, so we couldn't be seen.

I made six of us sit there in silence for three hours, until someone convinced me that people weren't really there and there was no one trying to get me.

I just went crackers.

I would say cocaine is classed as a socially acceptable drug.

In the 80's it was given the rich man's drug tag, only the rich could take it.

But I think modern day society kind of accepts it - and I don't think that's right.

What's to be done?

I'd say it's rife everywhere you go. I wouldn't say you could escape it really…

I think it's everywhere and people need educating that it's everywhere.

From Colombia to Cleveland - cocaine.

I've been a doorman in the town and I've seen it first hand.

Every now and then the police used to come with a sniffer dog.

I think you should pay that man with a sniffer dog to go round a pub every night.

What's an extra man going to cost?

Is it surely not worth it to catch them out and not have these dealers in the clubs?

Coming off cocaine

I actually got locked up for my drug dealing habits. I got four and a half years and came off coke the hard way.

Paranoia is a side effect of cocaine.

I just had to stop, I didn't have a choice.

May 2005 was the last time I had a drug and I've never felt so good in my life.

I've got two lovely kids, a lovely missus, I've got a house, I'm out of jail and I don't intend to take drugs anymore.