--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is cocaine,\" he said, \"a…" description: "\"“It is cocaine,\" he said, \"a seven-per-cent solution. Would you care to try it?\" \"No, indeed,\" I answered brusquely. \"My constitution has not got over ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/arthur-conan-doyle-273_cocaine_it-is-cocaine-he-said-a-seven-per-cent-s_55317.jpg" --- # It is cocaine," he said, "a seven-per-cent solution. Would… ![“It is cocaine," he said, "a seven-per-cent solution. Would you care to try it?" "No, indeed," I answered brusquely. "My constitution has not got over the Afghan campaign yet. I cannot afford to throw any extra strain upon it." He smiled at my vehemence. "Perhaps you are right, Watson," he said. "I…” quote by Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/arthur-conan-doyle-273_cocaine_it-is-cocaine-he-said-a-seven-per-cent-s_55317.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/arthur-conan-doyle-273_cocaine_it-is-cocaine-he-said-a-seven-per-cent-s_55317.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/arthur-conan-doyle-273_cocaine_it-is-cocaine-he-said-a-seven-per-cent-s_55317.jpg) > ““It is cocaine," he said, "a seven-per-cent solution. Would you care to try it?" "No, indeed," I answered brusquely. "My constitution has not got over the Afghan campaign yet. I cannot afford to throw any extra strain upon it." He smiled at my vehemence. "Perhaps you are right, Watson," he said. "I suppose that its influence is physically a bad one. I find it, however, so transcendently stimulating and clarifying to the mind that its secondary action is a matter of small moment.”” [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes cocaine as a potent, stimulating drug that offers mental clarity but also poses physical harm, reflecting a conflicted view of its effects. **In simple terms:** Cocaine is alluring yet dangerous. Key Takeaway A drug can be both stimulating and harmful. Themes addiction perception health psychology risk dual nature Mood intrigued skeptical cautious Type literary dialogue philosophical musing When to use this quote - seeking intellectual boost - risking health - debating drug use - medical research - personal health concerns Key Concepts chemical influence mental clarity physical strain ethical dilemma Practical Applications - cautionary discussion on drug use - exploring paradoxical effects of stimulants Questions to Reflect On - What are the long‑term consequences of using such stimulants? - How does society balance curiosity with safety? A Different Perspective While the speaker finds it stimulating, the health risks and potential for addiction outweigh any short‑term mental benefits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answered Brusquely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answered-brusquely-769737/) [Cocaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cocaine/) [Cocaine Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cocaine-said-766261/) [Got Afghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got-afghan-769736/) [Humour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humour/) [Sherlock holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sherlock-holmes/) [Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watson/) [Watson Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watson-said-769735/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) ## Related quotes > [What is the meaning of it, Watson? said Holmes solemnly as he laid down the paper. "What object is served by this circle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/what-is-the-meaning-of-it-watson-said-holmes-solemnly-as-he-laid-down/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“Now is the dramatic moment of fate, Watson, when you hear a step upon the stair which is walking into your life, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/now-is-the-dramatic-moment-of-fate-watson-when-you-hear-a-step-upon-2/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“It is my belief, Watson, founded upon my experience, that the lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/it-is-my-belief-watson-founded-upon-my-experience-that-the-lowest-and/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“He is the Napoleon of crime, Watson. He is the organizer of half that is evil and of nearly all that is undetected in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/he-is-the-napoleon-of-crime-watson-he-is-the-organizer-of-half-that/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“Good old Watson! You are the one fixed point in a changing age. There's an east wind coming all the same, such a wind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/good-old-watson-you-are-the-one-fixed-point-in-a-changing-age-there-s/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [Ah! my dear Watson, there we come into those realms of conjecture, where the most logical mind may be at fault. Sherlock Holmes speaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/ah-my-dear-watson-there-we-come-into-those-realms-of-conjecture-where/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [Like all Holmes' reasoning, the thing seemed simplicity itself when it was once explained. Dr. Watson, speaking of Sherlock Holmes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/like-all-holmes-reasoning-the-thing-seemed-simplicity-itself-when-it/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“Watson: "You may be right." Holmes: "The probability lies in that direction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/watson-you-may-be-right-holmes-the-probability-lies-in-that-direction/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“A lady that I know just came from Colombia. She laughed because I did not understand. She held out some marijuana uh-huh, said it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ringo-starr/a-lady-that-i-know-just-came-from-colombia-she-laughed-because-i-did/) [Ringo Starr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ringo-starr/) > [“And a singularly consistent investigation you have made, my dear Watson,” said he. “I cannot at the moment recall any possible blunder which you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/and-a-singularly-consistent-investigation-you-have-made-my-dear/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [Do you know, Watson," said he, "that it is one of the curses of a mind with a turn like mine that I must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/do-you-know-watson-said-he-that-it-is-one-of-the-curses-of-a-mind/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [ My dear Watson," said \[Sherlock Holmes\], "I cannot agree with those who rank modesty among the virtues. To the logician all things should be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/my-dear-watson-said-sherlock-holmes-i-cannot-agree-with-those-who/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“Now, Watson,' said Holmes, (...) 'you'll come with me, won't you?' 'If I can be of use.' 'Oh, a trusty comrade is always of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/now-watson-said-holmes-you-ll-come-with-me-won-t-you-if-i-can-be-of/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“No mention of that local hunt, Watson," said Holmes with a mischievous smile, "but a country doctor, as you very astutely observed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/no-mention-of-that-local-hunt-watson-said-holmes-with-a-mischievous/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“There is an appalling directness about your questions, Watson," said Holmes, shaking his pipe at me. "They come at me like bullets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/there-is-an-appalling-directness-about-your-questions-watson-said/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) ## More by Arthur Conan Doyle > [“shattered the bone and grazed the subclavian artery. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/shattered-the-bone-and-grazed-the-subclavian-artery-i/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram, or the most intricate analysis, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/my-mind-rebels-at-stagnation-give-me-problems-give-me-work-give-me/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [...it was a huge creature, luminous, ghastly, and spectral. I have cross-examined these men, one of them a hard-headed countryman, one a farrier, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/it-was-a-huge-creature-luminous-ghastly-and-spectral-i-have-cross/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“A study in scarlet, eh? Why shouldn't we use a little art jargon. There's the scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/a-study-in-scarlet-eh-why-shouldn-t-we-use-a-little-art-jargon-there/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/mediocrity-knows-nothing-higher-than-itself-but-talent-instantly/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“Holy men? Holy cabbages! Holy bean-pods! What do they do but live and suck in sustenance and grow fat? If that be holiness, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/holy-men-holy-cabbages-holy-bean-pods-what-do-they-do-but-live-and/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“Wonderful!" I ejaculated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/wonderful-i-ejaculated/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [Amberley excelled at chess - a mark, Watson, of a scheming mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/amberley-excelled-at-chess-a-mark-watson-of-a-scheming-mind/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [Ex-Professor Moriarty of mathematical celebrity... is the Napoleon of crime, Watson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/ex-professor-moriarty-of-mathematical-celebrity-is-the-napoleon-of/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“When a doctor does go wrong, he is the first of criminals. He has the nerve and he has the knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/when-a-doctor-does-go-wrong-he-is-the-first-of-criminals-he-has-the/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“How small we feel with our petty ambitions and strivings in the presence of the great elemental forces of Nature!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/how-small-we-feel-with-our-petty-ambitions-and-strivings-in-the/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [You wish to put me in the dark. I tell you that I will never be put in the dark. You wish to beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/you-wish-to-put-me-in-the-dark-i-tell-you-that-i-will-never-be-put-in/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“My mind," he said, "rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram or the most intricate analysis,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/my-mind-he-said-rebels-at-stagnation-give-me-problems-give-me-work/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“It is hard luck on a young fellow to have expensive tastes, great expectations, aristocratic connections but no actual money in his pocket, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/it-is-hard-luck-on-a-young-fellow-to-have-expensive-tastes-great/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“In the year 1878 I took my degree of Doctor of Medicine of the University of London, and proceeded to Netley to go through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/in-the-year-1878-i-took-my-degree-of-doctor-of-medicine-of-the/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) [Explore all 740 Arthur Conan Doyle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) ## More Cocaine quotes > [“Woe to you, my Princess, when I come. I will kiss you quite red and feed you till you are plump. And if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/woe-to-you-my-princess-when-i-come-i-will-kiss-you-quite-red-and-feed/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [Cocaine decisions that you make today, will mean nothing later on when you get nose decay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/cocaine-decisions-that-you-make-today-will-mean-nothing-later-on-when/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [We were talking briefly about cocaine... yeah. Anything that makes you paranoid and impotent, give me more of that!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/we-were-talking-briefly-about-cocaine-yeah-anything-that-makes-you/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [What we don't know is about Jeb Bush and cocaine. But we do know that he did once had his brother Florida on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/what-we-don-t-know-is-about-jeb-bush-and-cocaine-but-we-do-know-that/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Your kiss is bitter with cocaine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleister-crowley/your-kiss-is-bitter-with-cocaine/) [Aleister Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleister-crowley/) > [It is not heroin or cocaine that makes one an addict, it is the need to escape from a harsh reality. There are more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-chisholm/it-is-not-heroin-or-cocaine-that-makes-one-an-addict-it-is-the-need/) [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) > [“I was standing by the car when two police officers showed up in the alley, very interested in me and the BMW in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomas-adam-nyapi/i-was-standing-by-the-car-when-two-police-officers-showed-up-in-the/) [Tomas Adam Nyapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomas-adam-nyapi/) > [Pecans are not cheap, my hons. In fact, in the South, the street value of shelled pecans just before holiday baking season is roughly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celia-rivenbark/pecans-are-not-cheap-my-hons-in-fact-in-the-south-the-street-value-of/) [Celia Rivenbark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celia-rivenbark/) > [“The alcoholic retains the ability to condemn his addiction and advise those not subject to it to avoid succumbing to the liquid poison. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pitigrilli/the-alcoholic-retains-the-ability-to-condemn-his-addiction-and-advise/) [Pitigrilli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pitigrilli/) > [Why not go to war just for oil? We need oil. What do Hollywood celebrities imagine fuels their private jets? How do they think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/why-not-go-to-war-just-for-oil-we-need-oil-what-do-hollywood/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [“love: a chemical history. ...The second stage, attraction, is governed by dopamine and serotonin. When, for example, couples report feeling indescribably happy in each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-yoon/love-a-chemical-history-the-second-stage-attraction-is-governed-by/) [Nicola Yoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-yoon/) > [Inhale, exhale, cocaine, X pills. Import, export, Harlem catching wrecks still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asap-rocky/inhale-exhale-cocaine-x-pills-import-export-harlem-catching-wrecks/) [Asap Rocky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asap-rocky/) > [“It was early, late, lockjaw hour.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-lipsyte/it-was-early-late-lockjaw-hour/) [Sam Lipsyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-lipsyte/) > [Cocaine was different. It kept saying, "You haven't had enough." I became an abuser almost instantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/cocaine-was-different-it-kept-saying-you-haven-t-had-enough-i-became/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“The coke bugs were out in force, doing military manoeuvres, all jazzed up on their Bolivian marching powder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-d-diehl/the-coke-bugs-were-out-in-force-doing-military-manoeuvres-all-jazzed/) [Mark D. Diehl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-d-diehl/) [Browse all 365 Cocaine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cocaine/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is cocaine,\" he said, \"a seven-per-cent solution. Would you care to try it?\" \"No, indeed,\" I answered brusquely. \"My constitution has not got over the Afghan campaign yet. I cannot afford to throw any extra strain upon it.\" He smiled at my vehemence. \"Perhaps you are right, Watson,\" he said. \"I suppose that its influence is physically a bad one. I find it, however, so transcendently stimulating and clarifying to the mind that its secondary action is a matter of small moment.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Arthur Conan Doyle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/it-is-cocaine-he-said-a-seven-per-cent-solution-would-you-care-to-try/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cocaine" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/it-is-cocaine-he-said-a-seven-per-cent-solution-would-you-care-to-try/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/arthur-conan-doyle-273_cocaine_it-is-cocaine-he-said-a-seven-per-cent-s_55317.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/arthur-conan-doyle-273_cocaine_it-is-cocaine-he-said-a-seven-per-cent-s_55317.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/arthur-conan-doyle-273_cocaine_it-is-cocaine-he-said-a-seven-per-cent-s_55317.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is cocaine,\" he said, \"a seven-per-cent solution. Would you care to try it?\" \"No, indeed,\" I answered…” — Arthur Conan Doyle", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Arthur Conan Doyle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It is cocaine,\" he said, \"a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/it-is-cocaine-he-said-a-seven-per-cent-solution-would-you-care-to-try/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/it-is-cocaine-he-said-a-seven-per-cent-solution-would-you-care-to-try/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```