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?

@CommonOrNot

I've never heard of anyone going weekly to a hairdressers, that alone blows my mind. It's £25 for a basic wash, cut and blow dry mates rates!

My knowledge of this is entirely from TV but aren’t some beauty parlours / hairdressers used as fronts for money laundering? Therefore almost inevitably linked to drugs and people trafficking. Maybe that’s what’s going on here.

Urgent exit required.

Move to a nicer area or city.

Do you mean Glasgow

Are you Sir Graham Lister?

Must be Liverpool!

I think there’s a lot of it around and a lot of interests vested in not seeing it. It definitely depends on where you live, which depends on large part in how rich you are. In some areas I definitely think high house prices etc are down to drug money.

The ordinary working people of Britain have been betrayed and abandoned by the complete lack of appreciation of the role of ethics. Ordinary work does not pay and the values of aggression and exploitation are dominant everywhere.

@CommonOrNot Telford?

I don’t know any drug dealers. It certainly isn’t the norm in my social circle

I won’t wash my own hair for multiple reasons. It only needs washing once a week, twice if it’s had a particularly large amount of product in. That’s why I go.

thank you to all who have replied with intellect rather than Pearl clutching and accusing me of “hanging around” with certain people. Your views are much appreciated and it’s interesting to have insight on other areas of the country. It does seem to be a regional thing as I suspected.

Move and change hairdressers.

I’m south east and whilst I don’t think everyone knows a drug dealer/drug user within their immediate circle, I wouldn’t be surprised if everyone knew of someone within their extended circle. Girl from school, lad from college, neighbours niece, that sort of thing. We don’t live in a rough area, we’re in a naice part, but less desirable and unfortunately more drug prone areas are within a few miles and everyone seemingly knows everyone round here!

Sadly, I know an ex drug dealer very well, and it’s been a very scary and bumpy ride finding out about this whole other world under my nose.

I'd guess somewhere like St Helens, Wigan, Bolton etc.
Places where there isn't a lot of opportunity and lots of deprivation.
Drugs are often one of the few ways to make decent money, so I can see the appeal in these areas and why anyone who 'looks the part' is - yes - often involved with drugs.

It's less to do with area and more to do with people's judgement, or lack thereof.

I lived in Birmingham and Luton and drugs were just a prevalent, nobody admitted to it quite as freely I suspect for fear of judgement.

There's not so much of that in the North West, for whatever reason. I'm not involved with drugs whatsoever but don't really give it more than a passing thought when confronted with the evidence that someone is involved in that lifestyle.

My grandma goes for a shampoo and set every week, pensioner's special.

I’m from Liverpool and have family/ have worked in both Kirkby and Bootle and l can say l don’t know a single drug dealer. l know areas of where about they live but don’t know any, l only know what areas they live in through social media/news reports. I know a lot of people who are sick of drugs and don’t associate with people that do drugs.

lf l overheard this in the hairdressers, l would chose another hairdresser just because it’s not right for me, drugs aren’t glamours at all and l go to the hairdresser to feel good.

l went to Chester recently and the amount of people who looked like zombies was shocking l was talking to a couple in a bar and the guy was telling me it has got really bad there. People wouldn’t think this though because it’s classed as a posh place.

l will say though having a blow dry every week is living the life, l hate washing and drying my hair and this is something l would love to do if l had the time/money. In my hairdressers we talk about the new houses getting built and what’s on right move and local area tittle tattle but never drugs.

l do find it sad that many people think of Liverpool this way, l know hundreds of amazing people (some may be on drugs l just don’t see it). It’s a shame the crime that goes on in the city and as a pp said shopping in Liverpool city centre, people don’t look glamorous they have their Primark bags, fake uggs on and their hair in rollers, there’s loads of stag and hen do groups.

Liverpool here, and no, definitely not like that here!

This is what came to mind for me too.

The OP is more retro than she realises. 🤣

I live in a city and honestly have never met a drug dealer (that I'm aware) and don't know anyone who takes drugs. I've never been offered any even when I was young and never seen a deal take place. That said I read a report on my city talking about how kids get offered drugs constantly and how it's rampant and I was genuinely shocked. I think we all live in a bubble to some extent, these things can also be very localised.

Where do you think would not have a drug problem?
I am genuinely curious.
I said above that I live in a nice town, and while I don't personally know any drug dealers, I think it would be fairly easy to access drugs if I wanted to.

😂😂😂
That's why I love Mumsnet.
The wit and the wide range of experiences of posters.

Oh and OP good for you with your regular hairdressers visits. If I didn't work 9-5 I'd be going twice per week too. There's no shame in a sense of pride in one's appearance and your hair is your crowning glory!

I live near a well know 5 star hotel / golf resort, that seems to attract a lot of dealer types.

There's nothing wrong with this if you can afford it. I used to go every week for an Olaplex treatment and Blowout. It did my hair wonders.

People are being very nasty to the OP. She said she's not a dealer. She's recently been surprised to realise that she knows a lot of them. She didn't even say that they were her intimate friends - just people who shared only a hair salon. There's nothing about this that reflects badly upon her as a person.

The other day I read a comment saying "I don't know a single woman who enjoys giving blow jobs." I guess she doesn't enjoy it. I guess she's never met someone who has volunteered that they do enjoy it. But she seemed to think that this is universal.

She must hang out with a grim crowd! 😉

South East London here. I’m not