Get paid to snort coke

King’s College London seeks powder-hungry students.


Image: JLM photography

Students are being offered money to snort coke in a scientific study at King’s College London.

An email sent to King’s students asks for male volunteers aged 25-40 to volunteer their beaks for a four month trial.

The advert, seen by The Huffington Post UK, offers “reasonable compensation” on top of the free powder. Regular users are not welcome.

A spokesman for KCL told The Huffington Post UK: “This is an important scientific study to investigate how cocaine and its metabolites are spread through the human body. All the relevant ethical approvals were received for this study.

“The study will be conducted under the highest level of medical supervision in a dedicated clinical research suite. Further information about the NHS ethical approval process, which was followed, is available on our website.

The email

What will happen?

After cocaine administration, repeated biological samples (blood, urine, hair, sweat, oral fluid) will be taken to compare and investigate how cocaine and its metabolites are spread through the human body.

What are the requirements?

Potential participants must be fit and well, have no past medical history and not be users of recreational drugs. They must be happy not to cut or dye their hair for 120 days during the study follow up period.

How long will it take?

During the first visit we will check your suitability for the study. The second visit (main experiment) will be around thirty days later and will take most of the day. We would then like to see you 5 more times over a 90 day period so that some repeat biological samples can be taken.

Will you benefit from taking part in this study?

There is no direct benefit from taking part. Reasonable financial compensation will be made for your time, effort and expenses incurred from completing the study.

Who is overseeing the study?

The study will be supervised by the Clinical Toxicology department from St Thomas’ Hospital, London. The research team includes a medical doctor (registrar or consultant) who will be present at all times.

What now?

All participant information will be anonymised and held confidentially. All participant information will be anonymised and held confidentially. If you are interested in taking part and would like to find more information please primarily address any enquires to Dr Andrew Kicman (Chief Scientific Officer) at [email address deleted] were [sic] you will be provided with a full participant information sheet.