Why did cocaine become popular again in the 1960s?

Cocaine's resurgence in popularity during the 1960s can be attributed to a variety of social and cultural factors, and one key reason was indeed related to the availability of other stimulants. During this time, amphetamines, which were previously widely used and accessible, began to face more regulation and scrutiny due to increasing awareness of their potential for abuse and the health risks associated with them. As amphetamines became harder to obtain, individuals and users who sought similar stimulating effects turned toward cocaine, which was still available and perceived differently in terms of safety and social acceptance.

This shift in availability and perception among stimulants is essential in understanding the dynamics of drug use during that period. While changes in access to heroin, alcohol, and marijuana also influenced drug trends, the specific scarcity of amphetamines created a gap that cocaine filled, leading to its renewed popularity among various subcultures in the 1960s. This era was marked by significant experimentation with drugs, and cocaine's re-emergence coincided with broader social changes, including the counterculture movement that embraced a range of psychoactive substances.