Professional people and drug use

[Beebee6]

I work in banking and moved to London a year ago for a career opportunity. I’m in my early 30s and have never thought of myself as particularly naive but I’m genuinely shocked by how many of my colleagues regularly use drugs. By drugs, I'm mostly referring to cocaine. They all talk about this very openly as if it’s a perfectly normal and acceptable thing to do at the weekend, after work or when they have spare time without the kids. On the rare occasions when I have been along to social events after work, it’s always offered around and I appear to be the only one not partaking. None of these people are particularly ‘young’ either (most 30s-40s) and are all very successful professional people, who in my (perhaps judgemental) opinion, aren’t the typical drug using types. Some are single but many have families. I mentioned this to a friend of mine who seemed to think that this is now commonplace amongst many working professionals, particularly in the city. I’m curious as to whether this sort of thing really has become more normal and accepted now?

Of course they don’t think about the others suffering in the chain as they are all selfish cunts

@hopefulhalf yes agreed, if they saw only a fraction of what we have to deal with they would never drink or take drugs again.

I work in the City in the Insurance industry and I have never seen any evidence of this.

Seriously? A walk down Lime St at 2pm on a Friday would be an enlightening experience in that case. The insurance industry (certainly underwriting) appears to be entirely transacted out of the Lamb Tavern. The poor dears at Lloyd’s had to be told last week that it wasn’t ok to come to work high or drunk.

www.cityam.com/275887/lloyds-london-ban-drunk-staff-office-clamps-down-harassment

I work in investment management and it absolutely is commonplace at celebration dinners and after hours socialising. I do not do coke - I would like my career to have a bit of longevity

I’m also part of a Facebook group for expats from my home country & people post nearly daily ask if anyone has a “contact” for XYZ city. I find it really strange that it’s so open whereas five or six years ago, certainly my friends wouldn’t admit publicly to liking a few nosebeers.

Yep commonplace in the city jobs. It’s probably the same people I knew 20 years ago (am now mid 40’s) who never stopped.

Never stopped? I think cocaine use is more rife than it's ever been. And it's spread to other demographics now too. It used to just be rock stars, media types and rich, self satisfied city types. Now it's as likely to be your postman or your hairdresser, if they are the partying type.

None of my social circle do drugs. But one of the parties after DD's school's year 11 Prom was closed down a couple of years ago because of cocaine use. Fifteen and sixteen year olds. Having read this I wondered if they just nicked some of mummy and daddy's stash.

It’s not and will never be ‘normal’ or ‘standard’ and you haven’t been living under a rock.

It IS normal in some circles though. You might not have moved in those circles but I have at times and it is rife. Famous person whose line is they live a clean life, no drugs, don't even eat meat gets off their face regularly. Chef's taking it to cope with 18 hour days.

I've worked in music and hospitality, very rife in both those.

For pp asking about side effects of cocaine, one was insomnia. People I knew took it to stay up and give themselves confidence. I was not a user btw.

I'm 50 and live out in the sticks and it's rife here. It depends on your social group how many people use it,but once you know which people are, then it's obvious.

it’s easy to say that decriminalisation will bring about a state of nirvana but difficult to see what the long term effects of that might be. And, you know, what about people’s physical and mental health? That’s a decision people have to make for themselves, and not the business of the state in my opinion

The professionals I knew in London who used at dinner parties years ago would be late 50s/early 60s now.

Anyone else wondering which of their neighbours, friends or work colleagues are recreational drug users now? Being in my late 40s, drugs were around at uni but you had the ‘druggies’ and everyone else. Drugs were a thing, but not prevalent and you could easily avoid it. Now it seems commonplace, and from what i’m RpReading on this thread, normal.

That’s the scary thing, how people are normalising it. If people weren’t so accepting, then people may be more reluctant to use it,

Actually wondered myself this week if childcare workers in creches etc are drug tested?

It's not my thing at all but it's across society. People that like coke socialise mainly with other people that do. It goes across the classes. I know at least 5 people in the last few years who have died of heart attack in the early 50s, all of them did coke regularly. North London, middle class, working class, white and black. What a waste.

Actually wondered myself this week if childcare workers in creches etc are drug tested? I hope not, it would be a gross infringement into their private lives.

I’ve never made the link before but one of the cocaine users I knew (headteacher) when I worked in London had a heart attack in his 30s. He was told to cut down on alcohol. He survived but has recently died aged 60.

Actually wondered myself this week if childcare workers in creches etc are drug tested?
No because unless they are going into work high or off a come down the day after it has no effect on their ability to do a job. Most people who do drugs will not become addicts, have their life ruined or have long term health problems. Some will but most wont. In the same way most people who drink alcohol won’t become alcoholics or die of liver damage.
The main harm in drugs comes from their illegality. Yes it absolutely does fuel street crime so from a moral stand point it’s selfish but it doesn’t necessarily mean children in your care are at risk.
It’s time for a proper evidence based look at the drug laws instead or having laws based on public panic.

Drug and alcohol testing is standard in many many industries I actually don’t see why it wouldn’t be in childcare or elderly care settings. In fact I think I will endure it’s added into the next contract of employment I offer. Thanks for the reminder.

Generally, anyone under 30 presenting with signs of a heart attack, your first thought should be cocaine. It isn’t a build up or a regular use thing either, it can happen right from first use.
THIS. Think Louis Tomlinsons sister.

I was shocked last year to be told that the bar flies in the old man's pub near me were doing cocaine. I'm talking guys aged 50 plus either unemployed or low paid/unskilled workers. One of the must be 65 or so.

If you think you can do class As every weekend and it not impact on your work or home life you are deluded.

www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2810%2961462-6/fullte
evidence

I do think the demographic has shifted drug use is down amongst 20-30 year olds and up in the 40+s. Also I think it is an affliction of working class youth. Most middle class millennials dont even drink much.

If you think you can do class As every weekend and it not impact on your work or home life you are deluded.
True but most casual drug users don’t take class As like that.

It sounds like cocaine use isn't addictive from some of these posts. You only need to take a look at Danielle Westbrook's ruined face and her many relapses to know that isn't the case. Until this thread and what my hairdresser told me, I had no idea usage was so common. It's depressing.

I don't really know anybody who presents the characteristics of somebody who has just done a line or two, but I am a bit of a homebody these days and don't socialise as much. I went to see a well known comedian at a large London venue, I was in the first couple of rows, and when he came back on after the interval he kept wiping his nose and sniffing. Even in my drug naivety I realised he had just had a line. His act is a bit random and fast and now when I see him it looks like his act relies on him to be coked up.

@hopefulhalf Thanks for the Lancet link-interesting articles and free. Can't find that one, what is it called?

I hope it's true about millenials being more sensible.

It sounds like cocaine use isn't addictive
It is addictive. That’s not the same as saying everyone who uses it as an addict though. Not everyone who drinks is an alcoholic but if you drink a lot often enough you will be.

If you think you can do class As every weekend and it not impact on your work or home life you are deluded.

Well, I personally don’t but I know plenty that do. Of those I would be more than happy to have the majority operate on myself, DH or my kids if I anyone something within their specialty so if it’s impacting their work they are still a cut above a lot of others and I’m still happy and I am VERY picky in that regard.

As for home life, hmmmmm, yes, but the majority are colossal dicks in that regard to begin with. Their ‘play time’ generally involves the other half at home looking after the kids believing they are at the hospital busily working and pulling that many hours they need to sleep over. Yeah, nice. I don’t condone it but also not attributable to recreational substances, just innate dickheadishness (made up a new word there ).