Drugs and Alcohol Quotes in No Country for Old Men

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Section.Paragraph)

Quote #1

He kept one eye on the man and got out his knife and cut a slit in one of the parcels. A loose brown powder dribbled out. (1.3.22)

Um, that's not brown sugar—although for all we know, "brown sugar" might be a street name for the drug. Anyway, this is heroin. Here, Llewelyn makes the key decision to leave it behind. He's not interested in drugs at all.

Quote #2

There was a heavy leather document case standing upright alongside the dead man's knee and Moss absolutely knew what was in the case and he was scared in a way that he didnt even understand. (1.3.45)

Oh, but here's something Llewelyn is interested in: money. We can't think of him as a totally principled man if he's still willing to take money, even if he's left the drugs behind. This money is basically made from drugs, and it has blood on it—Llewelyn's blood, too, soon enough.

Quote #3

You think this boy's a doperunner?

I dont know. I wouldnt of thought of it.

I wouldnt either. Let's go down here and look at the rest of this mess. (3.3.75-3.3.77)

Who is buying the drugs if not the good old boys in Texas? Where do you think the heroin goes after it's smuggled over the border? The people who actually buy and use these drugs are never seen in No Country. They are invisible, but they're just as guilty as the smugglers themselves.