EVERYONE is a drug dealer

[CommonOrNot]

Bear with me…

I have name changed for this for seemingly obvious reasons. Yesterday, I was at the hairdressers getting my usual weekly services chatting as usual to my hairdresser - who every single week I’m there is dating a new drug dealer. She is very much a “glam” type. Neither of these things are uncommon in my city.

She then turns to the woman next to me and starts chatting about said woman’s partner and when he’s going to be on day release from prison and how he’s getting XYZ done cosmetically but it’s ok because the prison thinks he has a business so the money won’t be from dealing. (In other words, he’s still very much running an enterprise from behind bars). Again not uncommon in my area.

it got me thinking, in my city almost everyone has some sort of connection to dealing drugs. at all levels. I’m not exaggerating, I can’t think of a single person that doesn’t either deal themselves or is close friends with someone who does. All the women are dressed head to toe in designer, surgery, etc. the males have big cars, watches, designer clothes. It’s quite rare to see anyone under 30 without this aesthetic.

the 35+ generation maybe not so much but I would say all people I know in this age bracket absolutely have ties to someone who is a dealer.

before anyone comments that people may have the money for this aesthetic through legitimate reasons, I myself have a “flash” car, designer clothes, cosmetic procedures etc. but through running businesses and my partner being a well payed professional. I’m talking specifically about people that I know are dealers, and when I was thinking about it last night I was actually baffled how there seems to be so many.

PS I know there are people that work to have what they have, I’m talking about my city specifically being particularly dense with criminal activity and I’m wondering if it’s a regional thing or not. Where you are, is this the case?

There's a huge difference between knowing people who take drugs, or knowing that there must be drug dealers in your area, and thinking that it's entirely normal to sit chatting about this week's new dealer boyfriend in the hairdressers.

It's not a universal experience no matter how some on this thread might want to pretend it is. Thank fuck.

Yep definitely for the rich ones, a high up drug dealer was raided recently in the nicer part of our town.

A few friends knew the family and the kids went to the same primary, no one had a clue.

The poor children in all of this they're the ones to that pay the price or go onto mask their trauma using drugs and continue the cycle.

Truly. You do have to laugh. I also find amusing how many people have missed the part where I said I don’t live in liverpool but are repeatedly bringing the place up..

Wow! 😂 I know lots of people in these fields of work too. Inexplicably, they don't hang round with drug dealers, and don't have one in their family. You definitely move in different social circles to me!

You seem quite annoyed that people are saying they don't know any drug dealers. Like you don't believe them. As I have said, just because YOU know some, and apparently everyone you know does, that doesn't mean everyone else knows loads of drug dealers! 😆

I think I used to live in this north west city. It was a massive culture shock from where I'd come from. It's not the norm and is the reason I moved...

Of course certain areas of London you smell weed. Always have done.

I know a few media types who take drugs too. But to be honest it’s frowned upon a bit in my knowledge, DB and my boyfriend both work in film
and TV and yes some of the younger or more extreme ones do drugs but they don’t.

I don't know any drug dealers but I know that my DS 16 and his friends would know where to get drugs if they wanted to.
Talking to my son recently, he said he would not be able to access class A drugs but he could easily get weed.
Knowing how much trouble drugs cause, it surprises me that so many people on mumsnet have not come across drugs at all.
I absolutely hate drugs and have regular careful conversations with my children about drugs. There is no doubt though that they are aware of a glamour associated with dealing drugs.
We live in a nice town, I am sure people living elsewhere would not expect drugs to be so available here.

Why is me going to the hairdressers becoming a topic? Incredibly baffling. Sometimes I go - shock - twice a week.

A lady likes a blow dry. Hold the front page.

It's your social circle.

Yesterday, I was at the hairdressers getting my usual weekly services chatting as usual to my hairdresser - who every single week I’m there is dating a new drug dealer.

Missing the point completely - you go to the hairdresser weekly? Why? I go every 6 weeks for roots/colour refresh/trim, and begrudge having to find the time to fit that in so weekly fascinates me.

My city has a big problem with drugs, I work with disadvantaged communities so would see a lot of the problems that drugs and addiction cause. But not everyone I know is involved in drugs. The people driving around in flashy cars with loads of money are the ones at the top of the food chain so few and far between. Most people that get sucked in are : kids that are groomed by gangs, addicts and their families that have run up " debts", vulnerable people that are "cuckooed". These people might end up selling, laundering money or holding money, drugs, weapons, etc... Even if you get to the to the Mr Flashy level, it's more likely to be temporary, most of the bigwigs when I started have been shot and one is in prison for murder.

People seem to overlook that sharing prescription drugs with friends or family members is also illegal, so perhaps most of us do know drug dealers, it’s still illegal even if no money changes hands.

You'd be surprised.

My 16 year old knows of so many dealers in the area, teens and families alike. He knows which family 'businesses' are actually fronts for drug dealing, and whose children are dealing with the knowledge of their parents. It's more universal than you think. And sad as hell.

Luckily, he's not interested in doing or dealing himself, but it's obvious what the appeal is for teens: these families also have expensive, flash cars, designer clothes, eat out all the time/take out, and go on lots of holidays. I don't know they launder their money, but they've clearly found a way.

It will be at least partly where you live (and your age). I don't live in a great area (I like it but it's in the 10% most deprived areas in the country). I know a drug dealer as he used to be my neighbour (I've rung the police many times for the same reason). My parents live a few miles away and don't know any dealers.

Don't know any drug dealers, or anyone who does anything stronger than ibuprofen. My entire knowledge of drugs in the UK comes from watching Top Boy. Wagwan.

I dont know any drugs dealers either..never known and wouldnt want to know any. Where on earth u getting ur hair done? O.o

NC for this. Don't live in the NW but just across Saddleworth on the other side of the Pennines. An easy M62 journey though to Manchester. As background, my family all have legit professional jobs, NHS clinical, Teaching, Accountant etc. I know no one that even smokes nicotine and our biggest vice is red wine.

A good friend & her DH are also the same, work hard, known and been friends for over 25 years, but their No. 2 son?

Completely lives the Instagram lifestyle. Drives £60k cars (on PCP), wears a Rolex, designer clothes, shoes. Girlfriend is the same, fake hair, fake lips, fake tits etc. Neither of them do anything work wise that would bring in an income capable of supporting that lifestyle. They just flounce around and describe themselves as a "business man" or "entrepreneur" and change the conversation when asked about it.

My friend totally turns a blind eye whilst introducing me to her son's friends, who all look the same. Muscles, tans, designer gear, gold, watches, cars. Her DS laughs and tells me they are all drug dealers as a "joke", but it's obvious they are, and he thinks the joke puts people off the scent. Sadly he is getting bigger and greedier by the minute.

My friend refuses to see anything untoward and constantly tells her DS how proud she is of everything he has achieved. If I didn't know her DS, I would have absolutely zero idea that this lifestyle even existed, like some of the MNetters up thread. But it absolutely does.

im from Liverpool originally and have moved back to the north west.

in the hairdressers in Liverpool we talk about latest news from people, children, schools, holidays, weddings etc

at my beauty salon in Manchester we talk about similar.

I’ve never heard drugs being discussed and definitely not dealing.

I don’t know anyone who has been in prison either.

If that was the discussion I’d be finding a new business to give my money to.

Note to self: stay away from the North West.

I live in a big UK city but don't personally know any drug dealers. Maybe I'm too old as I'm 35 though!

I don't think you'll get an accurate answer on here. At my kids school there are some parents blissfully unaware of local drug trade, others who are aware but don't think they know anyone and others whose partners are in jail for it but it's just not discussed at the school gate.
Either you know or you don't.

A more interesting question is how could you compare drugs trade in different areas. Crime stats are generally based on arrests, which to a certain extent depends on how effective police are. Low arrests can mean two different things. I remember at school the police used to come into school to try get us to answer question to demonstrate amount of drugs in the area to try get funding because they weren't given resources as their low arrests level suggested there wasn't a drug problem.

I'm gonna guess you're in Liverpool 😬

I knew of 2. Both now dead.

Absolutely not the case that "everyone is a drug dealer"

That's called normalising and enabling. Are you looking for excuses to be party of that world?

I think even within a city rife with drugs, you have to be part of a certain social group yourself to know quite so many drug dealers.

I don't know any even though I live in an area where they are supposed to be fairly prevalent.

I’m from Liverpool. Grew up on a council estate. Professional job and husband has too-hand on heart don’t know one single drug dealer, none of my friends do either to my knowledge.
Sounds like you need to look at the company you keep, OP.