Ep 611 - Goblin AKA Nick
YouTube · UknBTYIo3Q4
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Nick's YouTube channel, 'Goblin,' gained a million subscribers by sharing personal stories of drug use, including his first time smoking crack at 17.
- ❖YouTube has denied Nick plaques for his 100K and 1M subscriber milestones due to his drug-related content, which he recounts as real experiences.
- ❖His drug use escalated after being sent to an alternative high school for 'DGEN kids' due to a 0.8 GPA, leading to daily cocaine use by 17.
- ❖Nick was arrested for felony retail theft after repeatedly shoplifting from Walmart, leading to probation and random drug testing.
- ❖An overdose on fake acid (25i-NBOMe) led to two months in residential rehab, which became the subject of his first viral YouTube series.
- ❖He describes Tianeptine (70), sold at gas stations and smoke shops, as an opioid-like substance stronger than morphine, pushed by companies with sample packs.
- ❖The hemp loophole allows products like THCA, chemically identical to dispensary THC, to be sold unregulated, leading to 'borderline poison' products with mold, heavy metals, and pesticides.
- ❖Nick's personal turning point in addiction came during a severe panic attack from upper use, leading him to flush his drugs and adopt a 'smoke your way out' strategy with weed.
- ❖He believes DARE programs and blanket 'drugs are bad' messaging are ineffective, advocating for harm reduction and getting drug experimentation 'out of your system while young'.
- ❖Fentanyl is now cheaper than other cutting agents, making it prevalent in street coke, Xanax presses, and opioid pills, often leading to accidental overdoses.
- ❖Nick shared a tragic story of a former coke plug who, under the influence of a shroom chocolate bar, severely beat his children, resulting in permanent damage to one child and a 15-year prison sentence.
Insights
1YouTube's Stance on Drug Content and Creator Recognition
Despite achieving a million subscribers, Nick's YouTube channel, 'Goblin,' has been denied both its 100K and 1M subscriber plaques. This is directly attributed to his content, which openly discusses his past drug addiction and experiences, including a video titled 'My First Time Smoking Crack' as his channel's homepage feature. YouTube's support agents explicitly deny recognition based on the channel's subject matter, highlighting the platform's strict, and sometimes inconsistent, policies regarding controversial topics.
I have a million on my main YouTube channel... They denied me my 100k plaque. They denied me my million sub plaque... if you go on my channel right now and you're not subscribed, my like homepage video is like my first time smoking crack. And like YouTube any It doesn't matter what country the support agents in, they're going to that channel and they're saying no.
2The Unregulated Danger of Gas Station Drugs (Tianeptine/70)
Nick details the widespread availability and extreme potency of Tianeptine, often referred to as '70,' which is sold legally in gas stations and smoke shops across the country. He describes it as an opioid-like substance, potentially stronger than morphine, and explains that manufacturers actively push these products by offering sample packs and incentives to shops, knowing they create addiction and repeat customers. This highlights a significant public health crisis stemming from legal loopholes.
I know the 70... Honestly, I I think morphine's even lowballing it. Like morphine is probably weaker than what 70 is... It's gas station. Every smoke shop in the whole country, bro. You can pick any smoke shop in a 2-m radius of here and I promise they sell... they have sample packs... and they give the shops incentives to give the samples out.
3The 'Smoke Your Way Out' Addiction Strategy
After reaching a critical point in his addiction with severe paranoia and anxiety from uppers, Nick developed a personal strategy to quit hard drugs: 'smoke your way out of it' with weed and edibles. He explains that this method involves getting so consistently high on cannabis that the brain is given time to reset and the intense cravings for harder drugs subside, allowing for a smoother transition away from them without the immediate, debilitating withdrawals.
My strategy that I tell everyone, I always recommend this to people if they're able to, is dude, just smoke your way out of it. Like really genuinely smoke yourself so stupid every day. eat a bunch of edibles if you have to that like you can't even fathom feeding for something... you need time for your brain to reset. Like you need that chemical connection, that addiction to like reset.
4Fentanyl's Ubiquity and the Failure of Traditional Drug Testing
Fentanyl is now more prevalent than ever, contaminating street drugs like Xanax presses, cocaine, and other opiates because it is cheaper than traditional cutting agents. This widespread contamination makes reagent test kits unreliable, as even trace amounts from cross-contamination can trigger a positive result, leading users to distrust the tests and forgo them entirely, increasing their risk.
Fent is cheaper than all the other cuts now... you need a fraction of a gram... that costs cents... It's in Xanax presses. It's in bags of coke. It's in all the opiates you're doing... you can't even rely on normal like reagent test kits anymore really because the amount of fent that it takes for a test kit to declare that like it's a positive for fent is like a nanog.
Bottom Line
The 'adult drug' paradox: Nick suggests cocaine is the 'perfect adult drug' because, despite its destructive financial and physical toll, users can often maintain a semblance of function in their daily lives for extended periods, unlike other substances that quickly incapacitate.
This perspective challenges the common perception of drug users as immediately dysfunctional, highlighting how high-functioning addiction can mask severe underlying issues and prolong engagement with dangerous substances, making intervention more complex.
Develop discreet support systems or harm reduction resources tailored for 'high-functioning' individuals who may not identify as addicts but are struggling with substance use, focusing on subtle signs and accessible, non-judgmental intervention points.
The 'hemp loophole' allows for the legal sale of cannabis products (THCA) that are chemically identical to regulated dispensary weed, but without any of the safety testing or oversight, leading to a market flooded with potentially 'poisonous' products.
This regulatory gap creates a significant public health risk, as consumers are exposed to products potentially contaminated with mold, heavy metals, and pesticides, undermining the safety benefits of cannabis legalization in regulated markets.
Advocate for comprehensive, science-based cannabis regulation that applies consistent safety and testing standards across all cannabinoid products, regardless of their legal classification (hemp vs. marijuana), to protect consumers and ensure product integrity.
Key Concepts
Harm Reduction
This model focuses on minimizing the negative health, social, and economic impacts of drug use rather than solely aiming for abstinence. Nick's approach of 'smoking your way out' of harder drug addiction with weed and setting boundaries like 'never bring the bag home' exemplifies this, acknowledging that people will use drugs and seeking safer alternatives or practices.
The Paradox of Prohibition
The idea that strict prohibition or 'just say no' campaigns can inadvertently lead to more dangerous drug practices and unregulated markets. Nick argues that DARE programs and similar initiatives have contributed to the current dangerous drug landscape, where substances like fentanyl are prevalent and unregulated products thrive due to lack of sensible policy.
Lessons
- Prioritize harm reduction strategies when engaging with substances, such as setting strict personal rules like 'never bring the bag home' to prevent isolated use.
- Be extremely cautious of unregulated substances, particularly those sold in gas stations or smoke shops, as they often lack safety testing and can be highly potent and addictive.
- If struggling with addiction, consider alternative approaches like 'smoking your way out' with cannabis to help reset the brain and manage cravings, especially if traditional rehab models have proven ineffective.
- Recognize that traditional 'just say no' drug education often fails; instead, focus on open, realistic conversations about drug effects, risks, and harm reduction with young people.
Notable Moments
Nick's first experience smoking crack at 17, which originated as a 'coke idea' with friends after school, learning how to cook it from an old internet forum and YouTube video.
This story illustrates the casual and often uninformed entry into highly addictive substances, driven by boredom and curiosity, highlighting the accessibility of dangerous information online and the rapid escalation of drug use among youth.
The tragic story of Nick's former coke plug, who, under the influence of a shroom chocolate bar, experienced psychosis and violently assaulted his children, leading to permanent injury for one child and a 15-year prison sentence.
This moment serves as a stark warning about the unpredictable and devastating consequences of drug use, especially when combined with underlying mental health issues or taken without proper 'set and setting,' emphasizing the importance of mental preparedness and the potential for extreme tragedy.
Quotes
"I'm a YouTuber. I'm a podcaster. Uh, I talk about, you know, my drug addiction. I say previous, but you know, I still enjoy drugs. You know, California sober guy."
"For every one like solid product you can buy in the hemp market right now, there's probably five more that are like borderline poison."
"Coke is the perfect adult drug. Like the moment that like you got bills to pay, it's time to buy a bag."
"I think moderation is key. It's good to get out of your system when you're young and you're never too far gone is really the most important part."
"I always look at I always look at the flight attendant. If I see fear in their eyes, I'm like, 'Yeah, we're [__] We're dying.'"
Q&A
Recent Questions
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