Dealing with drug dealers

*channels inner Dwight Schrute* FACT: Drug dealers can be scary as hell. Seriously, you do not want to get on the wrong side of a drug dealer. No matter how happy they may seem when you buy ANOTHER batch of coke from them, we promise you - they don’t have your best interests at heart. Let’s talk you through how to deal with them to prevent things getting out of hand.

Two young people are standing on the corner of a street. They are discussing a drug dealer. This is a full-body image. It is zoomed out.

Buying drugs isn’t as easy as popping down the local shop in your pyjamas to pick up some milk. It may sound obvious, but we’re going to say it anyway. Buying drugs is illegal. As soon as you enter into that deal, your consumer rights fly out the window, and you’re at the mercy of drug dealers. 

Dealing with drug dealers  

Drug dealers come in all forms. They can be someone trying to make some quick cash, a rich kid getting a kick from breaking the law, or maybe just your mate who happens to know the right people. The thing to remember is – drug dealing has no rules, laws or ethical regulations to abide by. Following this advice may help minimise the risks, but we can’t guarantee your safety if you choose to buy.

Stay safe when buying drugs 

  • Don’t buy from strangers – no matter how amazing they claim their stock is. Without some kind of background info, you could be dealing with an undercover cop or a con artist with a pocket full of talcum powder wraps. The illicit and highly competitive nature of the dealing business also means violence is a possibility.
  • Ask around – If you’ve got an OK relationship with your dealer, it’s worth asking them if they’ve tried the merchandise on offer. You can’t guarantee the same experience, but it may give you a better picture of the likely effects. Bear in mind, they might say anything to guarantee a quick buck – they are salesman after all.
  • Whatever you buy, do not take it all at once – You don’t know what’s in it. Try a small quantity first to help you figure out how strong it is.

Dangers of dealing to your friends 

You might not think selling a few pills or baggies for your close mates makes you a drug dealer, but in the eyes of the law it does. Avoid exchanging money for drugs with your friends because if you’re caught by police officers they’ll classify you as a dealer. Even a couple of pills or a lump of hash split into pieces could see the charge rise from possession to possession with intent to supply, which has much harsher penalties. Not to mention, a small deal could lead you into a life of organised crime, with drug trafficking and money laundering – the who shebang really. 

If you want to find out more about drugs and the law, click here

Buying drugs off the internet

The new big dealer on the block is the internet. More and more young people are buying drugs online, especially legal highs and pharmaceuticals. With just a few clicks you can purchase a variety of legal highs, including Valium, diet pills, antidepressants and Ritalin. Despite the convenience of having your latest fix hand-delivered, there are risks to buying drugs online.

  • Buying prescription drugs without a proper chat with your doctor opens you up to all sorts of dangers. You may be allergic, meaning certain drugs could be fatal.
  • Lots of pharmaceutical drugs and some legal highs can be highly addictive.
  • Buying from dodgy sites means you have no idea if what you’re taking is real, fake, or potentially dangerous. It’s much harder to ensure your dosage is correct. Plus the drugs could be out of date.

To check a website’s authenticity, look for the internet pharmacy logo endorsed by the General Pharmaceutical Council. You can also enter the details of your chosen website into their register to check if it’s legit. If you want to find out more about buying drugs online, read our article.

Next Steps

  • FRANK offers friendly, confidential advice on all things drugs-related. Call now on 0300 123 6600
  • Addaction helps people recover from drug and alcohol addictions.
  • Release offers free and confidential advice on everything to do with drugs and drugs law. 0845 4500 215
  • Chat about this subject on our Discussion Boards.

By Nishika Melwani

Updated on 26-Aug-2021