Instagram Ads Suggest You’re Using Cocaine Incorrectly
▼ Summary
– Luxury drug accessories like the SLYD pouch and Wildcard are marketed on Instagram as stylish, magnetic leather pouches for carrying powdered substances, often using “electrolytes” as a euphemism.
– These products rebrand drug paraphernalia with a tech-fueled, luxury aesthetic, similar to how cannabis and ketamine have been made mainstream, but applied to powders like cocaine, ketamine, and MDMA.
– Companies such as Magic Items and FattyPack deny selling drug paraphernalia, claiming their products are multi-use bags for perishables, despite customer comments and drug slang like “BAG” indicating otherwise.
– Instagram ads for these pouches feature demonstrations with electrolyte powder, but comments reveal customers asking about smell-proofing or attaching keys for scooping, showing intended drug use.
– Meta is investigating these accounts for violating its policies on illicit drugs, as the companies risk advertising restrictions by promoting drug paraphernalia.
Big money and powerful interests have spent the last two decades rebranding substances like cannabis, mushrooms, and ketamine for a new era. Today, millions of Americans can buy legal weed in stores that feel more like Apple showrooms, or consume potent psychedelics in comfortable, spa-like environments. Cocaine, however, has largely missed out on this tech-driven transformation that reshaped public perception of those other drugs. But a new wave of luxury accessories appearing in my Instagram feed might just be giving it a makeover.
At first glance, these products don’t immediately register as drug paraphernalia. Look closer, though, and you’ll see they’re designed to solve a problem no ordinary person has ever faced. Take the SLYD pouch, a small leather case with a magnetic clasp, promoted in a video ad for $39. The clip shows someone loading a tiny amount of a powdered substance into the pouch, with a caption urging viewers to “Stop using that sketchy bag for your electrolytes.”
The visual comparison with a standard resealable plastic bag full of whitish electrolyte powder makes the suggestion clear. Any lingering doubt disappears when you notice the custom inscription of the word “BAG” on the leather sachet,a common slang term for drugs. While no one has ever needed a convenient way to carry electrolytes in their pocket, a miniature wallet designed for cocaine, ketamine, or MDMA does have genuine consumer appeal.
It turns out such accessories are widely, if discreetly, marketed on Instagram. An online store called Magic Items sells its own version of the magnetized leather pouch, branded as the Wildcard. Prices range from $60 to $100 depending on size, and each pouch is stamped with a rabbit wearing a jester hat. The company’s Instagram page also shows a demo using electrolyte powder, but the comments give away the real purpose. “Will a dog still be able to smell through it?” one prospective buyer asked. Another post places a Wildcard next to a plastic dime bag, advertising it as “anti clog” and “luxury,” while mocking the standard carrying method as “hard to open” and “single use.”
“In 2022, something changed,” reads a page on Magic Items’ website explaining the Wildcard’s origin. “Everyone wanted to be out again,at parties, on rooftops, in the desert,feeling good with music thumping and friends nearby. The world was alive, and everything just wanted to work better. We all needed a water-tight container that was low profile and stylish, but there was no great option available.”
Another brand, FattyPack, has also drawn attention. Instagram users have noted that its product works well for holding drugs, and the company recently posted a demo showing how to attach a key to the bag,a handy feature if you need to scoop powder out of it.
The makers of the SLYD pouch did not respond to a request for comment. Via Instagram DM, a representative for Magic Items denied that the company is selling drug paraphernalia or promoting illicit substances, both of which would violate Meta’s advertising policies on restricted goods and services. “It is a multi-use bag for perishables,” the rep said of the Wildcard. In another Instagram DM, a FattyPack representative stated: “Since we don’t promote our product for drug use, we’ve had zero issues with Meta ads. While some customers may use it that way, we leave that to individual interpretation.”
Meta spokesperson Erica Sackin told WIRED that the company is investigating several of the brand accounts mentioned in this article. Meta said it regularly conducts sweeps to crack down on users who violate its policies on illicit drugs.
(Source: Wired)
