A snuff spoon is a tiny spoon used for nasal insufflation of powdered substances. Historically, such spoons were used for psychotropic substances in pre-Columbian America,[1] then tobacco in the 18th century,[2] and cocaine in the 20th century, hence the names cocaine spoon and coke spoon. Some local statutes in the US treat spoons that are too small and thus "unsuited for the typical, lawful uses of a spoon" as drug paraphernalia.[3][4][5]
Due to their small size, they are sometimes mistaken for toys.[6] The designs of the snuff spoons closely followed that of the larger ones, and thus can be used to date the étuis containing them.[6]
Snuff spoons have been found at Chavín de Huántar in Peru (presumably used for consumption of hallucinogenic snuffs of Anadenanthera colubrina more than 2000 years ago),[7] as well as in South Africa, where a combination of a tiny comb and a little spoon had made some researchers to assume that the spoon was used as an earpick or head-scratcher.[8]
In England, powdered snuff appeared at the end of the 17th century, and quickly became popular along with the devices for its consumption.[9] The user extracted the snuff with the spoon in the right hand, placed the substance onto the back side of the left hand, and sniffed from there.[10] The combination of a little vial and a snuff spoon that acted like a stopper was a precursor of the snuff-box. By the end of the 19th century the snuff spoons went completely out of use.[2]
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In the US, McDonald's provides straight swizzle sticks to stir the coffee, while in the rest of the world a small plastic stirring spoon is used. According to Graybosch, this is due to the 1960s rumor that the spoons can be used to snort cocaine.[11]
