Was a study of this really necessary?
That’s what the majority of social media is asking after CBS News shared the findings of research conducted by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Australia’s Griffith University. What did they research, you might be asking? The effects that cocaine can have on salmon.
No need to re-read that. You got it the first time.
It sounds absurd, but it’s true. Researchers focused on 105 wild Atlantic salmon that were exposed to cocaine (by the researchers), tracking their movements after they came in contact with the drug. Unsurprisingly, salmon that came in contact with the cocaine swam almost 2 miles farther per week than salmon that were clean.
Marcus Michelangeli, one of the researchers from Griffith University’s Australian Rivers Institute, told ABC that the study was conducted partly because drugs like cocaine are already present in waterways:
“Any unnatural change in animal behavior is a concern. We’re finding higher and higher concentrations of not just illicit drugs but all types of pharmaceuticals in our waterways. The idea of cocaine affecting fish might seem surprising, but the reality is that wildlife is already being exposed to a wide range of human-derived drugs every day. The unusual part is not the experiment, it’s what’s already happening in our waterways.”
I think I can speak for everyone when I say cocaine affecting fish is not surprising. That’s why this post from CBS News about the research has almost 10 million views:
People are drawn to the story not because they want to read it and learn more about cocaine and salmon… they are flocking to it because they feel as though this study was entirely unnecessary. Sure, I understand that researchers possibly wanted to draw attention to polluted waterways. There’s nothing wrong with that.
But most people are just responding to the news with memes and jokes like these:
What an awesome use of money for this new found discovery
— What In Those? (@tacolover310) April 23, 2026
Did we need a study on this? pic.twitter.com/Uz6M57jkJL
— Tonya (@suckafree308) April 22, 2026
Glad to hear that research is still being done on things that matter! Can we get the details on the mating behavior of turtles on LSD? Society needs answers!!!!!!
— MT Johnson (@RugPullatypus) April 23, 2026
Million-dollar study confirms water is wet.
— Michael Ireland (@michael_ir73880) April 23, 2026
We don’t need to spend any money on a study this predictable
— Mark Naughton (@MarkNaughton9) April 23, 2026
For those complaining that U.S. tax dollars are going to waste because of this study, take a breath. Like I stated earlier, it was the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Australia’s Griffith University that used funds to give cocaine to wild salmon. It definitely sounds like the type of research we Americans would throw out into the world… but the Red, White and Blue can’t claim this one.
That being said, we can dream about a potential cocaine crossover thanks to the American tale of the drugged-up bear:
Cocaine bear vs cocaine salmon.
When an unstoppable force meets an immovable object.
— Governor Hat (@GovernorHat) April 23, 2026
