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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

In thinking that cocaine use in London appears to be commonplace these days?!

113 replies

Fifilikes · 26/08/2020 09:15

I’m a 30 year old professional working in finance and moved to the city for a new opportunity a couple of years ago. During that time, I’ve lived in two different professional house shares where I’ve been fortunate enough to be introduced to friends of friends through my housemates and I’ve also met and socialised with lots of people I’ve met through my now husband and also through my work for a large financial services company.

I’ve met a huge range of people, aged between mid 20’s through to mid 40’s, all of whom are relatively successful and well educated. The common denominator is that all of them is that they use cocaine recreationally, whether it be on nights out or nights in over drinks after a long week at work etc. DH and I are very sociable and normally drink alcohol frequently on such occasions but nothing more. Yet pretty much everyone else I’ve met thinks cocaine use is as casual as buying a bottle of wine on a Friday and will talk about it or offer it around without any thought, which still after two years I find quite shocking.

It has me wondering whether cocaine use amongst professionals in the city really is commonplace and widely socially acceptable now, or is it simply that somehow DH and I have both been introduced to the wrong social groups and what we’re seeing to be the ‘norm’ simply isn’t?! Hmm

OP posts:
milienhaus · 26/08/2020 09:16

I’m a similar age to you in London in finance and only know a very small amount of people who use cocaine - I think it might be your social circle.

GreyGardens88 · 26/08/2020 09:18

I don't think it's just London, I had a friend who worked for Leeds City Council and they all clocked off at lunchtime and passed cocaine around on a Friday afternoon

It's never interested me personally and I would never take it

1FootInTheRave · 26/08/2020 09:21

Very very common up north where I live.

userxx · 26/08/2020 09:21

Yeah, it's rife up north too.

AugieMarch · 26/08/2020 09:24

I left London 8 years ago in my mid 30s and cocaine use was pretty common the whole time I was there. But then, it’s also pretty common where I now live too (another big city abroad).

GinDaddyReturns · 26/08/2020 09:25

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JoJoSM2 · 26/08/2020 09:27

Just your social circle. Out of the people I know, there was one such guy I met as a friend briefly went out with him. He worked for a hedge fund in Mayfair and had similar minded friends. But that’s literally the only person I can think of having lived in London for over 15 years and having been a massive party girl in the past.

CatBatCat · 26/08/2020 09:27

Its always been like that since the 80's

user1493413286 · 26/08/2020 09:28

I think it’s pretty common everywhere and you’d potentially be surprised by the people who do it who never let on.

RunningAwaywiththeCircus · 26/08/2020 09:30

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Gurtcha · 26/08/2020 09:32

This has always been the case. I want to say it’s been like it since the 80s but it could have quite easily started before then.

SnowWhitesRestingBitchFace · 26/08/2020 09:32

Definitely not just London. I worked in a pub and got to know the regulars very well. Cocaine use seemed to be rife but the users really shocked me. All middle aged, family men with good jobs. Not much shocks me anymore.

maras2 · 26/08/2020 09:33

According to our adult kids cocaine use is now and has been quite prolific in our large West Midlands city Shock.
Me and DH seem to have led a very sheltered life despite being hippies back in the day Blush

Gurtcha · 26/08/2020 09:33

Infact, a very good friend of mine’s DH is an addict. You’d never know as he doesn’t got the stereotype of a drug addict - high functioning, 6 figure salary in the City, works very long hours, travels for work regularly.

AdelaidePlace · 26/08/2020 09:34

North too, but don't have any friends that do this, mainly education professionals, but also accountants, sales, beauty.

A few years ago one social worker friend was a cocaine user, supplied by her fireman BF.

thedancingbear · 26/08/2020 09:38

Unfortunately, you're right OP.

I'm no puritan but cocaine is an absolute cunt's drug. It turn people into arrogant aggressive crashing bores, and the supply chain is fucking appalling. The number of right-on liberal types who'll make a fuss about buying Fairtrade (or whatever) but will then shove coke up their noses makes me feel sick.

OneTC · 26/08/2020 09:38

Widespread and commonplace yes

But it's been like that for 20 years at least

ThePlantsitter · 26/08/2020 09:40

I hear this all the time from loads of people but I have never seen it myself, presumably because I'm a dweeb. Which is fine, I'm too scared/goody goody to do drugs and it's freeing to be able to say so at the age of 42!

Isadora2007 · 26/08/2020 09:44

Apparently it’s the drug of choice for many- from teens upwards. I was aghast to heat coke was being snorted off my toilet cistern (is that the right spelling? ) at a house party my then teenage daughter threw- and they’d have been snorting a Fair bit of dust in with it I can assure you 😬
People who deal coke are normal “nice” people and it’s so rife here that it’s considered part of a night out without anyone batting an eyelid (pre covid anyway)...

Kab30 · 26/08/2020 09:51

I run a pub and it's the Bain of my life....you'd be suprised the people and age range of people who do it ...

holatous · 26/08/2020 09:53

London finance too and yes it's everywhere. They tested the Thames and it had a high amount of cocaine in it. (www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/cocaine-london-river-thames-water-research-kings-college-study-fish-high-drugs-a8738146.html)

I think it's naive of people who just don't realise it's happening. None of my friends do it but we always see it going on and get offered it.

Cheesess · 26/08/2020 09:56

I went to a London uni with a bigggg coke problem. They would all go clubbing in central and take so many drugs, these people all left uni and have respectable jobs.

Cheesess · 26/08/2020 09:59

And I know some drug dealers (definitely not friends) who would talk about how they regularly deliver very large quantities of cocaine to most of the million pound houses which surround my town.

ComtesseDeSpair · 26/08/2020 10:00

Normal in my social circles, yes, and not limited to the City / finance - many of my friends are doctors, teachers, academics etc. Taken more at house parties than in pubs though. It’s a feel good drug, I suppose. Makes you talkative and less tired.

megletthesecond · 26/08/2020 10:04

It's been pretty common for over 20 years now. I knew loads of people who did it. And this wasn't a London media thing.

One of old managers did it at work in the shop. She would be bouncing around the store. Drove me up the wall.

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