Last week Wall Street found that it had another cocaine-fueled scandal on its hands when an investment banker's ex-wife accused her husband of intense drug abuse.
Less than a week later, a banker in Hong Kong was arrested as a suspect in the murder of two prostitutes. Police found a small amount of cocaine in his home.
This isn't necessarily everyday stuff, but it wasn't much of a shock, either. Cocaine has been an illicit way for bankers to keep up with clients, parties, and long hours for decades.
That has its consequences, though.
Cocaine can harm numerous parts of the human body, from your nasal passages to your sexual stamina. No small thing.
Cocaine sparks euphoria and heightens your senses.
For most casual cocaine users, stimulation belies the drug's consumption. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), cocaine sparks euphoria and mental alertness, especially to sight, touch, and sound.
The faster the drug is absorbed by the bloodstream, the more intense the effect and the shorter it lasts.
It triggers the part of your brain responsible for addictive behavior.
University of Michigan neuropsychologists found that repeated cocaine use resulted in a hyper-responsive dopamine system, making the drug hard for the brain to ignore.
Dopamine, the chemical in the brain responsible for just about any addictive behavior, is triggered when one is engaged in any deeply pleasurable activity.
It's so addictive you can crave it by watching others do it.
Dr. Nora Volkow, the director of NIDA and the one of country's preeminent experts on addiction, found that dopamine levels jumped even if cocaine addicts were simply watching videos of people using the drug.
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