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 know people who smoke weed and use magic mushrooms but no pills or anything else anymore. They grow and pick their own so it's not like it's supporting organised crime or anything.

And be a druggie? No thanks.

A theory on it could be that over the past few years, people’s respect for the law and for the police has waned. Various events, ranging from the way the law was applied and upheld during lockdown, and an endless series of examples of police forces being corrupt from the top down has broken public trust and caused many people who previously held the law and the police in fairly high esteem to step back from their previous conviction that laws are always there for good reasons. People who perhaps previously wouldn’t have touched drugs (or at least, if they did, not told their friends about it) because they’re against the law are now a little less sure of their commitment to that. And if others around them have indicated in small ways that they feel similarly - well, perhaps there’s less to worry about after all in divulging to friends.

I also suspect that with all those Uber Eats and Deliveroo orders going from place to place during lockdown, people who previously didn’t realise that’s how a lot of gear is moved around, rather than in shady deals on street corners, started buying themselves a few party bags to go with their Chinese takeaway!

We are all very successful so we don’t fit the stereotype. Try it! It’s better than being hung over every weekend.

That very much is the stereotype. Or one of them. Are you assuming that everyone who doesn't do drugs is hungover every weekend? I drink alcohol. I haven't had a hangover in years.

As soon as the DC are 18 just turf them out, they are adults and can fend for themselves. Time to go drug crazy after that for some it seems...

I'm totally naive, I don't even smoke, but is it dangerous? Like using coke weekly etc. Cos you hear about all these celebs doing it and some old rockers and they are still knocking about.

Cannabis is legal where i live. Few people smoke it, the edibles are the big thing. It's more popular and less harmful than alcohol. The state loves the tax revenue as well. All locally grown too. Win/win.

Theres a peculiarity that always interests me from people who use illegal recreational drugs. They seem to feel the need to convince others to either do the same or imply or say outright that its a great choice to make or that if you dont use illegal recreational drugs there is something wrong with you in some way, or you're missing out

I dont see people pushing substances of other natures, like you should eat lots of cake, or have lots of caffeine or have lots of fags, or drink lots of booze or take lots of neurophen or codeine

Why is there the need for validation?

I grow my own magic mushrooms and every so often I will make a pot of tea with them and have an interesting afternoon/evening. That's about all these days, I don't even drink.

As a person who is naturally thin, i can assure you that i have been told to eat cake, or a cheeseburger, many times. Why do you think that is?

You've hit the nail here @bellac11 although I wonder if it's more serious users and part of a spiral into addiction/substance abuse. If something is legal, you don't have to use illicit means to get it etc and therefore you don't have to justify your actions. It's why addicts/habitual users crowd together and enable one another I imagine - normalisation. Pop psychology,of course. There's no shame in buying a Twirl so you don't need to force your views upon others - unless you're trying to justify eating something when you're meant to be dieting and want someone to do it with you, I suppose.
For the record I think most drugs should be legalised but that's to cut down on the harm associated and enable safer needle exchanges etc, not for middle class dicks

I have never tried any drug other than alcohol but when people go on about -'I don't was to encourage slave labour" or other variances what about where the parts come from on the devices you are typing your message ,on

The clothes you buy, the toys you buy your children

I am anti drug but I don't pretend I am not involved in other ways although I do try

It’s rather bizarre to conflate the harm generated by the drugs trade with the clothing supply chain!!!

I dont see people pushing substances of other natures, like you should eat lots of cake, or have lots of caffeine or have lots of fags, or drink lots of booze or take lots of neurophen or codeine

I don't take illegal drugs but I strongly disagree with this.

Our whole society encourages booze, and eating stuff like cake and chocolate! Gin o clock. Wine o clock. Treat yourself.

So much of social culture revolves around alcohol, it's kind of weird when you think about how much.

I love wine, but alcohol is massively damaging on an individual and a societal level, and it is everywhere.

A typical defensive response from someone who wants to justify why they continue to take illegal drugs.

All this whataboutery doesn't make it OK. Your post is "hilarious"

Probably less dangerous than alcohol.

Agreed.

So, you don't do any pf the above either then?

😆Why does pointing out people's messed up moral compass mean I take drugs?

No, I'm 40 and my friends all 35-45 stopped all that when they got responsible jobs and had children.

I still take drugs aged 48 and so do most of my friends. Not that often - twice so far this year - but find it really fun and have no intention of stopping. I don't like coke but really enjoy pills/MDMA and mushrooms. Way preferable to booze. The supply chain issue is an argument against prohibition imo.

Some drugs are a lot more dangerous than others. There’s a sort of sliding scale of potential harm (in terms of physical/mental harm to the health) with heroin at one end and maybe weed and mushrooms at the other. You mentioned cocaine- that’s pretty bad for the health, especially if it was weekly as in your example.

None of my friends have took drugs, even in their youth. I find it very cringy in over 20's.

Hey I'm up for that! let me know if you find a good supplier 😂 thanks

I’m in my 30’s me and my DH regularly smoke weed but I’ve never done anything harder than that and I wouldn’t either weed is enough for me.