The 'Drug Pusher': An Urban Myth?

Chuck Stone

We all heard of the notorious 'drug pusher'. He hangs around outside schools and gives free drugs to children and then *bam* the children become addicted and Mr. Drug Pusher has a lifelong customer to feed off.

Personally I think the Drug Pusher is an urban myth that is rolled out when people are looking for a scapegoat. Imo the issue is that people actually want drugs and therefore they will be supplied.

Parents and the authorities like to construct the bogey man drug pusher for their own selfish reasons. Parents to deflect blame from their drug dabbling children and the authorities to keep the prohibition farce going.

I can state categorically that I have never once been offered free drugs from a stranger nor do I know anyone that has.

Have you ever been been the subject of or witnessed 'Drug Pushing'?

(Not being offered - actual drug pushing for those who have difficulty understanding this OP)


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starbelgrade

Chuck Stone wrote: »

I can state categorically that I have never once been offered free drugs from a stranger nor do I know anyone that has.

Then you've lived a very sheltered life.

Guy:Incognito

I've lived in Tallaght all my life and I've never even been offered drugs that cost money by strangers, nevermind free ones.

Mr. Manager

In the Q for the toilets in a nightclub got offered what I thought was coke, turned out to be ketamine. Lost use of legs just at the front door of the house.

starviewadams

Been offered them loadsa times on the street,take a walk around Thomas Street/Christchurch or Talbot Street and you're almost guaranteed to be asked ''are ya lookin''.Been even offered some a few times while waiting for the bus home on Aston Quay.

Been offered coke,speed and hash in clubs and pubs too.

Used to see open dealing opposite the bus stop on Ballyfermot Road nearly every day when I was in college down there too.

Chuchoter

Speaking as secondary school student, I've never had drugs pushed on me, I've a plethora of friends I can just ring

starbelgrade

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

I've lived in Tallaght all my life and I've never even been offered drugs that cost money by strangers, nevermind free ones.

Oooh... Southsider.

Chuck Stone

starbelgrade wrote: »

Then you've lived a very sheltered life.

A poor snap judgement. Maybe you should consider asking it as a question?





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RussellTuring

Chuck Stone wrote: »

We all heard of the notorious 'drug pusher'. He hangs around outside schools and gives free drugs to children and then *bam* the children become addicted and Mr. Drug Pusher has a lifelong customer to feed off.

Personally I think the Drug Pusher is an urban myth that is rolled out when people are looking for a scapegoat. Imo the issue is that people actually want drugs and therefore they will be supplied.

Parents and the authorities like to construct the bogey man drug pusher for their own selfish reasons. Parents to deflect blame from their drug dabbling children and the authorities to keep the prohibition farce going.

I agree. People take drugs because they want to. Apart from forcibly injecting someone with a heroin-filled syringe, it is the individual's choice whether or not they take them. I've never been offered drugs by a stranger either, only people I know. If I were offered drugs by a stranger and decided to take them it would only be because I wanted to anyway and suddenly had the opportunity.

Actually scratch that. I've been offered a few times, especially around Thomas St. and Talbot St. They probably weren't free trials, however, so my point stands.

Chuck Stone

starviewadams wrote: »

Been offered them loadsa times on the street

Offered is not pushed. You might actually be looking for them after all.

Yakult

Jeez, last time I heard about that story was in the 80's and I wasn't even alive!

starbelgrade

Chuck Stone wrote: »

A poor snap judgement.

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Parents and the authorities like to construct the bogey man drug pusher for their own selfish reasons. Parents to deflect blame from their drug dabbling children and the authorities to keep the prohibition farce going.

Touche.

tayto lover

RussellTuring wrote: »

I agree. People take drugs because they want to. Apart from forcibly injecting someone with a heroin-filled syringe, it is the individual's choice whether or not they take them. I've never been offered drugs by a stranger either, only people I know. If I were offered drugs by a stranger and decided to take them it would only be because I wanted to anyway and suddenly had the opportunity.

So its not a stranger then at all, its your friend who is the drug pusher.

Mr. Manager

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Offered is not pushed. You might actually be looking for them after all.

Define the difference.

By the sounds of things you are making out that a "drug pusher" is force feeding people.

Guy:Incognito

starviewadams wrote: »

Been offered them loadsa times on the street,take a walk around Thomas Street/Christchurch or Talbot Street and you're almost guaranteed to be asked ''are ya lookin''.Been even offered some a few times while waiting for the bus home on Aston Quay.

Been offered coke,speed and hash in clubs and pubs too.

Used to see open dealing opposite the bus stop on Ballyfermot Road nearly every day when I was in college down there too.

I worked in Ballyfermot for years then on O'Connell street. Never been offered anything at all.

Guy:Incognito

starbelgrade wrote: »

Oooh... Southsider.

I am from the posh part though in fairness, It's practically D4

Chardee MacDennis

The OP seems to be asking whether a dealer has offered you free drugs to get you hooked. OP it has never happened to me anyway!

Seachmall

I got offered coke in a gig in Dublin once.

I refused but for some reason took his number anyway

Finnbar01

I live in an area where drugs have been prevalent for years. I have never been approached by any drug dealers but I have been approached by people looking to buy drugs.

Sunnyisland

I see it everyday, House across the road from me is a sellers house,forever been raided and forever people calling in.never seen it been offered outside schools though,think that's a myth.

anyone got a link to alison's article on this :D

pragmatic1

Never got offered them. Always had to go looking for them. I just wish I got some free samples.

EverEvolving

I've never been offered free drugs, where do I sign up?

RussellTuring

tayto lover wrote: »

So its not a stranger then at all, its your friend who is the drug pusher.

Yes. Inasmuch as offering me a point is pushing alcohol.

Paparazzo

I went to secondary school in inner city Dublin 1, walked down to the bus through some of the worst areas every day and this never happened to me nor did I ever hear of it happening to anyone else.

But it does happen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMqVrUSz62o

Chuck Stone

starbelgrade wrote: »

Touche.

What?

Eric Cartman

where are these people offering free drugs and how does one find them , ive only ever been asked do i want to buy drugs

lastlaugh

I think the term 'drug pusher' is misleading in the sense that it conjours images of people habging around offering random people drugs.

I remember when I was around twenty I was in friend's house having a few cans. He had an older brother, about 10 yrs older than us, and he was there with his friend.

His friend had some coke and was very eager to give us a line free. We took it and went to the pub feeling great, able to drink loads, full of confidence.

I can look back now and realise that bloke was actually a drug pusher.
His nasty little game was to 'introduce' us to coke, and then when we realised it was great, we would buy more. Luckily I didn't.

But that is how they operate, give stuff out for free and rely on people coming back to pay for more...

Richard Hillman

Good shout actually. Nobody is actually coerced by dealers to start taking drugs, its mostly down to peer pressure. When their used to be drugs marches in my area, the people they targeted were the big time dealers that would supply the small time dealers with drugs. I always thought "Pushers" were the ones that got the drugs from the big time guys and passed them down to the small dealers. Living in an area with a fair bit of drugs, ive never been randomly offered drugs. Ive done a fair bit of drugs in my younger day but ive always had to look for them rather than being offered and if i was offered, it was from lads i know well who i would frequent custom. Drugs have never been "pushed" on me.

Finnbar01

lastlaugh wrote: »

I think the term 'drug pusher' is misleading in the sense that it conjours images of people habging around offering random people drugs.

I remember when I was around twenty I was in friend's house having a few cans. He had an older brother, about 10 yrs older than us, and he was there with his friend.

His friend had some coke and was very eager to give us a line free. We took it and went to the pub feeling great, able to drink loads, full of confidence.

I can look back now and realise that bloke was actually a drug pusher.
His nasty little game was to 'introduce' us to coke, and then when we realised it was great, we would buy more. Luckily I didn't.

But that is how they operate, give stuff out for free and rely on people coming back to pay for more...

I say more like it you were very eager to take it.

You were twenty FFS.

Big Nasty

Only time I was offered free drugs by a total stranger was when someone passed me a J at a gig in Belgium a few years back. I was 30 at the time so he was a little late if he thought he was gonna get me hooked!:pac:

starviewadams

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

I worked in Ballyfermot for years then on O'Connell street. Never been offered anything at all.

Maybe I just look like an addict then!

Sunnyisland

I also think that paul williams and his ilk have made more money out of the drug scene than any of the so called drug lords.

Chuck Stone

lastlaugh wrote: »

I can look back now and realise that bloke was actually a drug pusher.
His nasty little game was to 'introduce' us to coke, and then when we realised it was great, we would buy more. Luckily I didn't.

It's kinda difficult for me to recieve that anecdote as drug pushing. I mean you were in your 20's and you'd just met the guy (I presume) and he was known to you in a roundabout way.

How do you know he wasn't just being generous?

Seachmall

Finnbar01 wrote: »

I say more like it you were very eager to take it.

When I was approached by a coke dealer I was standing in the smoking area of a gig alone looking a bit sad (I had a broken rib). I don't think he randomly picked me out, I think he targeted me because he figured I'd be more willing to try (and then buy) some. I didn't but he did get me to take down his number which I figure is an achievement in itself.

It's the same way those Scientologists work when standing outside their HQ in Dublin or outside any of their conferences. They target those who look down and out.

Sunnyisland

I dont think they target anyone, They have a product and people are going to them or if they see some one who might look interested they approach them,you want them or you dont,its always your choice.

Finnbar01

Seachmall wrote: »

When I was approached by a coke dealer I was standing in the smoking area of a gig alone looking a bit sad (I had a broken rib). I don't think he randomly picked me out, I think he targeted me because he figured I'd be more willing to try (and then buy) some. I didn't but he did get me to take down his number which I figure is an achievement in itself.

It's the same way those Scientologists work when standing outside their HQ in Dublin or outside any of their conferences. They target those who look down and out.

How old were you?

At the end of the day you didn't take his filth and by taking his number down, you got rid of him. You handled the situation very well. You politely told him to fook off.

What sickens my **** is people asking me for drugs. And they don't seem to care when or who I'm with.

Also if I had his number, I would have set up a false gay dating profile* and let him deal with the ****e from that.

* Please note, nothing wrong with being gay.

Seachmall

Finnbar01 wrote: »

How old were you?

At the end of the day you didn't take his filth and by taking his number down, you got rid of him. You handled the situation very well. You politely told him to fook off.

I was about 18 at the time, I actually took down the number with the intent of calling him sometime. I'm not sure why I didn't take it, I regretted not trying it the morning after. It was only a couple of days later I realized he completely manipulated me and deleted his number.

Finnbar01

Seachmall wrote: »

I was about 18 at the time, I actually took down the number with the intent of calling him sometime. I'm not sure why I didn't take it, I regretted not trying it the morning after. It was only a couple of days later I realized he completely manipulated me and deleted his number.

No, you won because you didn't accept his filth. To save face, he had to 'give' you something, which was the phone number. You accepted that, but by doing that, it was the polite way of telling him to fook off.

You. Won.

Plus, you never rang him back. Double win.

Sunnyisland

Tv3 is doing a programe now about it.

Bottle_of_Smoke

lastlaugh wrote: »

I think the term 'drug pusher' is misleading in the sense that it conjours images of people habging around offering random people drugs.

I remember when I was around twenty I was in friend's house having a few cans. He had an older brother, about 10 yrs older than us, and he was there with his friend.

His friend had some coke and was very eager to give us a line free. We took it and went to the pub feeling great, able to drink loads, full of confidence.

I can look back now and realise that bloke was actually a drug pusher.
His nasty little game was to 'introduce' us to coke, and then when we realised it was great, we would buy more. Luckily I didn't.

But that is how they operate, give stuff out for free and rely on people coming back to pay for more...

I would say thats the closest thing in reality

Seachmall

Finnbar01 wrote: »

No, you won because you didn't accept his filth. To save face, he had to 'give' you something, which was the phone number. You accepted that, but by doing that, it was the polite way of telling him to fook off.

You. Won.

Plus, you never rang him back. Double win.

Ya, but I wouldn't be surprised if he got a good few others to try it and gave them his number too. He was a good at what he did; pushing drugs.

Crazy Horse 6

Been offered loads of times whilst out and about. Was offered on a train stranglely enough few years back mind you i was in South America.:D

Finnbar01

Seachmall wrote: »

Ya, but I wouldn't be surprised if he got a good few others to try it and gave them his number too. He was a good at what he did; pushing drugs.

At the end of the day, he wasn't really pushing drugs per se, he was trying to manipulate and control you. Some people are prone to doing that... it empowers them and makes them feel go about themselves. That's why he wouldn't leave unless he gave you something his phone number.

You rejected that. So tough titty for him.

Please understand I'm not trying to make you feel good about yourself or patronise you but you won.

dsmythy

The "pushers" just let drug riddled kids introduce it to other kids instead.

SuperInfinity

realies wrote: »

I also think that paul williams and his ilk have made more money out of the drug scene than any of the so called drug lords.

Ah come on now, this is just flippin nonsense. "so called drug lords"? Are you mad? Individuals out there earn many millions from drugs, this is a known fact.

"so called druglords"? Are you now saying that you don't believe in drug lords? I think you are taking the idea of "the naive masses" a little too far. Say Paul Williams is lame all you want, but denying that people earn millions from drugs is both wrong and senseless. It's not all made up.

Seachmall

Finnbar01 wrote: »

he wasn't really pushing drugs per se, he was trying to manipulate and control you.

But that's how they operate (or at least in my brief experience). I'd imagine the phrase "Drug Pusher" was created to make them appear aggressive and dangerous, the type you'd want to avoid, but in reality they'll use anything at their disposal to make you a customer. Manipulation I'd expect is the most likely method to make you a repeat customer, that's how the entire advertising industry works.

Chuck Stone

bluewolf wrote: »

anyone got a link to alison's article on this :D

Who's Alison? Inside joke?

chicken fingers

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Who's Alison? Inside joke?

Shes this bird who bought drugs "worth" 525k with a view to waiting until the price rose and then selling it on to somebody else.
But then her bosses gave her a paycut as she is godawful at her job, and she couldn't afford to pay the repayments to the drug pushers for the drugs she bought.

Chuck Stone

SuperInfinity wrote: »

It's not all made up.

It's not all made up but if P.W. supports prohibition then he has to accept some responsibility for it's (often vicious) side-effects.

In a wierd way he'd have a lot less stuff to write about if drugs were legalized.

Chuck Stone

chicken fingers wrote: »

Shes this bird who bought drugs "worth" 525k with a view to waiting until the price rose and then selling it on to somebody else.

That would be called 'futures' in the financial world wouldn't it?