Recreational drugs after 40

[Inthebathagain]

In the two years, I've become aware of several friends, family and acquaintances who take lines/pills/tabs regularly. Some once a month, some twice a year. And everything in-between.

All walks of life...WFH, SAH, office worker, mechanic, police, care worker, teacher, headteacher. My favourite is the high rolling city worker who gets his gear delivered to his office on an electric scooter under his deliveroo takeout sandwiches.

All these people are aged 40-55.

I had no idea so many people around me of my age were using until one person told me they were, and then it snowballed. I now feel like I'm the rarity not using!

Is this reflective of the people around you too?

I think it’s scummy regardless of age to do something that supports organised crime and trafficking and has such a negative impact on society.

coffee I meant more the "it's fine when you're young but not after a certain age" types.

I know someone outwardly very respectable in his 50's who's wife has no idea about his drug taking (or at least she appears not to). He goes out with friends and takes drugs, she seems to stay in all the time.

The mental disconnect is interesting. There were people on FB pages pertaining to the Cashman/Oliva shooting saying that the shooting and issues in the area have nothing to do with drugs. They don't link their own drug taking to their area going to shit.

"Bur you’re talking about the rave generation (second summer of love) so it’s not entirely surprising that some people should have kept it up I guess."
That always surprises me. If you took drugs up to the 2000s, you would be very disappointed by the drugs of today. The ecstasy we had is nothing like what's the UK got flooded with 2006+.

I used to take loads of pills and psychedelics when I was younger but haven’t had anything since I had a kid.

Don’t have a problem with it but I’d just feel too cringe. Imagine coming up on a pill and rabbiting on about how cute your kid was.

I’d still smoke weed if I was a weed person but I went off it in my 20s.

so you are cool with child slavery then?

I must lead a sheltered life but I don’t know anyone who does drugs. Apparently there were drugs available at my secondary school in the early 80s but I only found that out years later. I don’t even know many smokers, although several colleagues vape.

Fair enough.

I think it's scummy no matter how old you are, but at least teenagers have the excuse of being young and dumb

Ponoka "The ecstasy we had is nothing like what's the UK got flooded with 2006+."

oh that's interesting. How is it different? I often feel that people used to take drugs to get happy, but now do it to get angry and start fights, but with no personal experience, I can't really say.

The same people who judge others for using plastic water bottles and bang on about 'this glorious little bistro' often take drugs, with no sense of connection to or understanding of County Lines, gang violence, cuckooing, indentured slaves in growing houses and so on. Your supplier is not a nice chap and if you are adamant that he is, then I guarantee HIS supplier is not. That is only what happens in this country.

We know a couple like this, but they're in their seventies.

He's out chasing young women and doing coke, coming home at 3 in the morning, while,she stays home, takes far too much codeine and goes to bed early.

It's no life.

absolutely, and not to mention the devastating financial and emotional impact on partners, children, colleagues, business, and the NHS.

Its a scummy thing to do. You look like scum,, you smell like scum and you act like scum, and if you think the people around you aren't calling you scum in their heads, you are deluded

No, nobody I know takes drugs, as far as I know. I am over 40. Also meet a lot of people in finance.

I think all drugs at any age are lame, but that's just me.

Tbh I don't think most people who use drugs recreational or otherwise give two shits about those caught up in the supply chain! It simply doesn't cross their minds.

The mental disconnect is fascinating.

Everyone is horrified about Olivia Pratt-Korbel but they don't seem to make the connection between her death and their "harmless drug use".

@coffeecupsandwaxmelts it's bizarre, isn't it?

Aware of someone who did die from a coke heart attack, aged 41. People really shouldn’t do it.

As someone who has seen family members lives fucked up by drug dealers, I just can not be friends with anyone I know is willing participating in drug taking and seeing it as a bit of fun. They are lining the pockets of very dangerous people who are involved in very dark crimes. Drug taking whatever the drug, is never ever just a bit of fun, someone down the line is paying a very heavy price for your social weekend habit.

You sound very judgey, OP, and many others here do too.

And what is wrong with that? Drugs cause much of the crime in this country including many murders, long term illnesses and drug related deaths. Many prostituted women are in that world because of drugs.

Then look at the misery and crime they cause between production and supply. More crime, more misery, more death.

I'll carry on judging, and carry on thinking that people who take drugs have blood on their hands.

Shows how deep in denial some people can be 🙈

I’d broadly rather, for all kinds of reasons, that we progressed with an international stance of decriminalisation and legalisation rather than continue with the absolutely ineffective War on Drugs, which was only ever about politics rather than harm. But meanwhile, like most people in the developed West, I’m capable of living my life whilst ignoring its impact on others and using them as collateral damage and I can’t say I think or care about other people’s children all that much.

@coffeecupsandwaxmelts I think that is it exactly. What they don't see with their own eyes is fine. I bet they're quick enough to judge those shoplifting to pay for their fix. When the only thing dividing them is luck.

This is interesting. About half of the people are milk delivered in glass bottles people, banging on about how the planet is being destroyed, nice little bistro people.

The other half really aren't!

@TR888 My OP is judgy?! Really?! Wow!

I've read about this - something changed in the way they manufacture it (couldn't tell you what) which is believed to have changed the effect slightly - noughties MDMA was nothing like pills of the 90s.

DH and I have a very wide social circle with lots of m/c and w/c people in it, including v high fliers.

DH’s DB smokes weed and one of my BF’s takes some things occasionally when out with her journalism friends. Those are the only two we know of.

I strongly disapprove of illegal drug use and would never tolerate it near me. Consequently my friend who I know does it occasionally never talks about it with me much. She probably does more than she lets on.

I think it’s becoming more common in working class communities to do drugs, eg weed on building sites and cocaine at weekends. I think it’s despicable.

The come downs were ruthless. As you say, the happiness side wasn't as high, the total body feel good factor was missing and whatever was in them made you more aggressive. The LSD that suddenly showed up caused suicides.