When one feels the need to stimulate oneself by snorting a line of cocaine, would one say the bracha of besamim (spices)?
Thank you in advance, this is not halacha l'maaseh.
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Sign up to join this communityWhen one feels the need to stimulate oneself by snorting a line of cocaine, would one say the bracha of besamim (spices)?
Thank you in advance, this is not halacha l'maaseh.
Cocaine is a Schedule II substance, which means that a) it has a high potential for abuse, b) it has some accepted medicinal use for treatment, and c) abuse of the substance can lead to severe psychological or physiological dependence.
It was used as a topical anesthetic and some ENTs used to use it as a means to clear a patient's sinuses when administered in a diluted, liquid form. There's some debate as to whether flavored medications require a birchas henehenin which is dependent in part on whether the medication is deemed "objectively" good tasting or only flavored as a means to make taking the medication easier. Cocaine has a bitter taste and is not typically taken orally by itself.
The OP's query concerns nasal ingestion of the powdered form of cocaine; this is not the same as smelling. Additionally, cocaine is described as having a chemical smell which is not typically described as a pleasing scent. Moreover, the numbing effect of the cocaine disables one's ability to smell at all for the duration of the use.
Since cocaine is harmful, it would not receive any bracha (cf. Shulchan Aruch §202:4).