'Brixton faces drugs policy U-turn'

[richtea]

Also, in a general way (again, not directed @ your posts or anyone's in particular), although I find it quite easy to buy into, I find the whole idea of "drug tourists" a tad sanctimonious & inverse-daily-mail ish... these "tourists" are just people who'd like a smoke & don't know where else to go in order to score.. yes, they have a negative impact on Brixton, but I should imagine that's hardly their intention, nor, I'm sure, would they go there & risk being ripped off if they had somewhere better to go. It's easy to demonise & belittle people when you lump them under an easy label.

It's quite easy to demonise and belittle people if their actions are making Brixton a shitter place to live I'm afraid.

If they enjoy a smoke, fine - buy off mates, grow your own or whatever. If they're not able to do that, well that's their problem innit. Just don't help fuck up the area that I live in is all. Not too much to ask.

 

[richtea]

generally ok crack users/dealers

define please

 

[prunus]

I'm curious, would those of you who smoke weed just give up if you couldn't find a 'normal' dealer, if your only option was to go to a street dealer?

Yes, have done for long periods when away from areas I know. Would never buy from a street dealer for reasons all of which I think are made clear on this thread.

 

[RushcroftRoader]

It's quite easy to demonise and belittle people if their actions are making Brixton a shitter place to live I'm afraid.

If they enjoy a smoke, fine - buy off mates, grow your own or whatever. If they're not able to do that, well that's their problem innit. Just don't help fuck up the area that I live in is all. Not too much to ask.

Spot on mate.

 

[grosun]

It's quite easy to demonise and belittle people if their actions are making Brixton a shitter place to live I'm afraid.

If they enjoy a smoke, fine - buy off mates, grow your own or whatever. If they're not able to do that, well that's their problem innit. Just don't help fuck up the area that I live in is all. Not too much to ask.

Thing is, it ain't *their* actions that're making Brixton a shit place really.. it's the actions of unscrupulous dealers & so-called dealers. It's not the "drug tourists" who give you hassle as you walk down the street.

The "tourists" are part of the cause of this, for sure, but then if you're looking further up the chain, the biggest bit of the cause is the government & their continuing refusal to reconsider the stupid prohibition law. I don't see why some relatively innocent people in the middle should shoulder so much of the blame.

People are responsible for their own actions, & in this case it's the actions of the dealers which are shit. At the end of the day they alone are responsible for that. I've scored on the street in a variety of cities at various points since my teenage years. Indeed, through most of my teens, I bought exclusively off 'street dealers'. I've known many areas where it's been done discreetly & non-obnoxiously & hasn't fucked up the area. Seems to me that whether it does or not is all down to the attitude of the dealers.

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Who are the drug tourists?

I want to know who these supposed "drug tourists" are. It's an honest question. Certainly when Paddick's experiment was going on there was a lot of people who came from elsewhere in London to buy stuff - I remember sitting in pub gardens all summer and hearing people repeating crap like "yeah....and do you know that weed is actually LEGAL in Brixton now.." But I don't see it anymore. I'm round Brixton all the time and I don't see swathes of nervous kids trying to buy weed on the street. Maybe I just don't notice it or something....but have you seen any evidence of these drug tourists recently?

I think a lot of it is bollocks really - Rachel Heywood and her mates trying to find a scapegoat for Brixton's problems that is as far away from the Council and police as possible.

Why would people come down to Brixton to try & score....it's sold on street corners all over London and I've even seen people selling it on Oxford Street!

I guess it's kind of ironic now that the police are proposing this change in policy - it was from the Lambeth police force that the evidence emerged about how much police time is saved by not arresting someone (by not filling in the 17 forms you have to fill in for each arrest, transporting them to the nick, processing them etc..). Now they want to go back to square one at one of their busiest times of year. There's an argument which says that the dealers etc will thrive because they'll be less coppers on the street due to the fact that they're all processing arrested users down the nick!

 

[editor]

I want to know who these supposed "drug tourists" are. It's an honest question.

I'd suggest it's mainly people out for a night in Brixton, or people getting off at the tube and trying to score some drugs before getting the bus the rest of the way home.

Mind you, I've seen a few smack 'tourists' on the streets, usually shipping in on the overground.

 

[tarannau]

I'd suggest it's mainly people out for a night in Brixton, or people getting off at the tube and trying to score some drugs before getting the bus the rest of the way home.

Mind you, I've seen a few smack 'tourists' on the streets, usually shipping in on the overground.

I'd agree with that. However I don't believe it's a problem that'll be easily solved by cracking down on the occasional unfortunate - it's generally some pissed bloke I see getting stopped after making an opportunistic purchase of an oxo cube or some oregano.[ I doubt repeat custom's a big problem

I used to work in Camden,. The real drugs tourists imo are a easily recognisable number of chaotic users who often travel between those two stops on a frequent basis. It used to be vaguely amusing - I'd often hear the same scams on the way into work, on the tube itself, even frequently on the way home.

 

[richtea]

Thing is, it ain't *their* actions that're making Brixton a shit place really.. it's the actions of unscrupulous dealers & so-called dealers. It's not the "drug tourists" who give you hassle as you walk down the street.

but the dealers are there cos the demand is there, surely?

 

[RushcroftRoader]

Drug tourists clearly do exist, otherwise why do the dealers bother to target white guys coming off the tube and the overland?

 

[tarannau]

Drug tourists clearly do exist, otherwise why do the dealers bother to target white guys coming off the tube and the overland?

Because it's a low risk, high profit opportunity to sell old bits of oregano/oxo cubes/grass cuttings to people who are easily scammed?

The argument isn't necessarily about whether drugs tourists exist in any form, more that (imo) I don't believe this new police initiative will have much effect one way of the other. It's a way of getting some publicity and hitting some easy targets, but I severely doubt it'll affect the real problems of the area.

Do you honestly believe - once the little publicity burst has cleared - the opportunists risking a little cash to a stranger outside the tube will be put off by the prospect of being arrested. It's just about news to us Brixtonians now, but I doubt that word will spread to the occasional visitor. Meanwhile the unfortunates on harder and more unpleasant drugs are just as easily identifiable (and not dealt with) as they are now.

 

[grosun]

but the dealers are there cos the demand is there, surely?

Where's the demand for people acting like aggressive pricks? As I said above, I've known areas where there's been fairly extensive street dealing, people coming in from other parts of town to buy, & everything's ok. All depends how the dealers behave. Blame is squarely on the dealers IMO. If there's demand, they could do it discretely, not rip people off, & still make a perfectly decent profit on the overinflated prices weed generally sells for in the street.

 

[tobyjug]

Do you honestly believe - once the little publicity burst has cleared - the opportunists risking a little cash to a stranger outside the tube will be put off by the prospect of being arrested.

Serious question don't any of these street dealers get beaten up when they offer drugs to people who are VERY anti-drug.

 

[tarannau]

Serious question don't any of these street dealers get beaten up when they offer drugs to people who are VERY anti-drug.

Why don't you have a try then Tobes? I love your Charlie Bronson style fantasies, but it's fair to say that you don't have much of a grip on reality or an accurate recollection of events and facts.

Most people are fairly tolerant of the dealers I suspect - some of the characters have been there for many years and been genuine community figures. In fact I'd go as far as to say that some of the old guard have been more effective than the police in helping me in the past - from stopping kids shooting fireworks at me, to breaking up fights, to stopping my gf being hassled - they've actually been there. Whereas all the police have done in the same time is stop and search me twice and threaten to arrest me for going down a soon to-be sealed road by mistake. I suspect my experiences aren't unusual.


In recent years there have been far more annoying and cocky whistlers by the station and bus stops though. It's getting too blatant for all concerned.

 

[Blagsta]

Serious question don't any of these street dealers get beaten up when they offer drugs to people who are VERY anti-drug.

Probably 'cos they might get shot in the head.

 

[Dan U]

I

Mind you, I've seen a few smack 'tourists' on the streets, usually shipping in on the overground.

i see several faces regularly on the overground, begging from victoria and down to beckenham etc and then coming back off and getting off at brixton to score

its only a handful but get the train for a couple of weeks and you'll soon know them

 

[tobyjug]

Probably 'cos they might get shot in the head.

So the police are letting tooled up drug dealers stand about in the street?
(Serious question because I just do not believe that dealers are not sometimes decked by people who really do not like drug dealers).

 

[Blagsta]

So the police are letting tooled up drug dealers stand about in the street?
(Serious question because I just do not believe that dealers are not sometimes decked by people who really do not like drug dealers).

look - you know fuck all about anything, let alone Brixton, so leave it, yeah?

 

[netbob]

So the police are letting tooled up drug dealers stand about in the street?
(Serious question because I just do not believe that dealers are not sometimes decked by people who really do not like drug dealers).

I doubt many low level dealers carry wepons. What would be the point? Get nicked with a bit of weed or whatever and your not exactly in much trouble. A gun or a knife and you're fucked. Drugs do not nesserally == guns (dispite the SLP's alamist carry-ons today).

 

[Blagsta]

I doubt many low level dealers carry wepons. What would be the point? Get nicked with a bit of weed or whatever and your not exactly in much trouble. A gun or a knife and you're fucked. Drugs do not nesserally == guns (dispite the SLP's alamist carry-ons today).

However, have a go at the dealers in that way, and you're asking for trouble. There's enough guns in Brixton.

 

[netbob]

However, have a go at the dealers in that way, and you're asking for trouble. There's enough guns in Brixton.

In what way? Sorry, worked the thread out now I'm sober

 

[tobyjug]

Drugs do not nesserally == guns (dispite the SLP's alamist carry-ons today).

At street level they don't. Drug dealers blowing each other away is one thing. If a "civilian" gets bumped off even if it by accident and not design, the brown semi solid substance hits the fan big time.

 

[Kiddo-Whizz]

I can understand and fully support the clearing of dealers from outside Brixton tube, Iceland, woolworth etc. What I don't agree with is the american copycat zero tolerance repressive anti-drug stance that is being imposed. Would it be better and more sensible to licence cafes' where cannabis can be smoked and bought in small quantities? We now have potential 24/7 alcohol licences. We know alcohol is a dangerous drug who makes its users dimwit dangerous violent arseholes. Why not have licensed cannabis cafes and clear out the streets of those dimwith who sell rip-off so called skunk outside woolworth.

Before we start rejoicing in this new initiative, keep in mind that the raft of new draconian drug policies that are being shoved down our throat are an insidious attack on our civil liberties. The new Test on Arrest policy due to be introduced in April 2006 is a point in case. ANYONE...and I repeat ANYONE (that's you, me, granny, uncle Fred etc) who is arrested for whatever reason may be asked to take a drug test. If that drug test is failed you will be forced (mandatory) to attend a drug assessment with a drug worker and, if tested positive to cocaine or other class A drug, be forced to attend treatment. Either you comply or you will be refused bail and go to prison, fucking your whole employment and life if you are just an occasional, weekend user of coke or whatever our nanny government has classified as a dangerous drug.

Wake up people, we are being shafted long and hard by our politicians in every sense of the word.

 

[tobyjug]

The new Test on Arrest policy due to be introduced in April 2006 is a point in case. ANYONE...and I repeat ANYONE (that's you, me, granny, uncle Fred etc) who is arrested for whatever reason may be asked to take a drug test. .

I would suggest you get your facts straight, the test at arrest is for a very limited number of offences. Test at arrest is running now in some areas, more at time goes by as the infrastucture is put in place. April 2006 is the target for it to be national.

 

[Kiddo-Whizz]

I would suggest you get your facts straight, the test at arrest is for a very limited number of offences. Test at arrest is running now in some areas, more at time goes by as the infrastucture is put in place. April 2006 is the target for it to be national.

I am sorry to spoil your party. The legislation specifically states that police officers have a 'discretion' to test anyone they arrest other than for trigger offences. Either way it is a breach of human rights to be tested against your will when not even found guilty of the offence you have 'allegedly' committed. The problem with you brits is that you have lost any sense of proportion and have become meek and acquiescient on all sorts of breaches of rights . New Labour is just old Conservative in a different guise. This is the country that jails more people and more children than in all of western Europe put together. This used to be a tolerant country. What the hell happened to Great Britain and the sense of fair play and natural justice? When someone goes to jail, don't forget you are footing the bill and help at the same to generate even more alienated people who will commit more crimes. Nice way of operating.

 

[guinnessdrinker]

This is the country that jails more people and more children than in all of western Europe put together.

don't exagerate....

 

[tobyjug]

I am sorry to spoil your party. The legislation specifically states that police officers have a 'discretion' to test anyone they arrest other than for trigger offences.

Which is still not the everyone being tested at arrest for any offence you suggested.

 

[sugar swiller]

"Councillor Paul McGlone who represents Ferndale ward in Brixton, where drug-dealing and use is prevalent, said he applauded the move.

He told BBC News: "You only have to walk down Brixton High Street and you face a barrage of offers for you to buy Hashish or whatever from aggressive drug dealers."

Hashish! My arse...

 

[grosun]

"Councillor Paul McGlone who represents Ferndale ward in Brixton, where drug-dealing and use is prevalent, said he applauded the move.

He told BBC News: "You only have to walk down Brixton High Street and you face a barrage of offers for you to buy Hashish or whatever from aggressive drug dealers."

Hashish! My arse...

Hahaha... he's clearly walked down Brixton high street a lot of times recently. Good to know councillors are in touch with the situation on the ground.

 

[sugar swiller]

I used to buy off of the street dealers in Brixton. You know they will always be about so it's a service of sorts. The deals are not too bad, I prefer to buy elsewhere at a better cost too but it's a hassle to arrange sometimes.

All this drug tourist guff gets on my nerves. I live in Croydon and the place heaves with people from all over London puking up, having drunken screaming matches and throwing kebabs about. I don't mind, is it a case of NIMBYism going on about street dealers in Brixton?

Camden is a better bet anyway for a £10 bit of weed.