These Shameless Cocaine Ads Prove the ’70s Were a Hell of a Time to Be Alive
Need an ivory spoon? A gold razor?
Inspired by the hit Netflix series Narcos, about the exploits of Pablo Escobar, some fans decided to dig up some of the period's not-so-subtle ads for cocaine paraphernalia.
They posted their finds, clipped from drug magazines ranging from 1976 to 1981, to art and culture site The World's Best Ever. From there, the ads, some of which you can browse below, have quickly traveled the world, being featured by London-based magazine Don't Panic and in an Imgur gallery that was near the top of today's front page on Reddit.
While drug paraphernalia and merchandise ads have remained in circulation for decades, with marijuana-related items obviously being a hot industry today, it's fascinating to look back on the highly specific time when cocaine was king.
(In case you're wondering, drug paraphernalia ads are generally legal in the U.S., though some states such as Ohio and Nebraska do have specific ads outlawing them.)
You should definitely check out the full set at The World's Best Ever, but here are a few of our favorites:
