The line comes from Chappelles Show, the Comedy Central sketch series that aired in 2004. In Charlie Murphys True Hollywood Stories, Dave Chappelle played funk singer Rick James recalling his 1980s excess, and the aside Cocaine is a hell of a drug became the sketches most quoted moment. Clipped and shared on early YouTube, Vine and later TikTok, it turned into a universal punchline for reckless behavior. Creators still use it because the delivery is instantly recognizable and needs no setup.