There's No Such Thing as a Free Lunch: How “Freebies” and “Credit” Operate as Part of Rational Drug Market Activity

Abstract

Twenty-one incarcerated drug dealers and 60 opiate users were questioned about the provision of “freebies” (free drugs) and credit in drug market transactions in London and the UK. In particular, each group was asked about the context within which either of these activities might occur and the underlying rationales for them. In contradiction to the common image of drug dealers providing “freebies” as an attempt to secure the custom of nonaddicted individuals (often portrayed as children), it emerged that the provision of free drugs and credit took place within tightly circumscribed conditions. Primarily, the provision of free drugs and credit (two distinct modes of operation with differing outcomes) were available to those known and “trusted” by the dealer and used to cultivate and bond customer relations (freebies) as well as facilitate continued business with the reliable (credit). Credit was not used to “trap” individuals into a dealing relationship. Rather, both parties approach it cautiously. How the provision of free drugs and credit are representative of broader aspects of dealer/user seller/buyer relationships, with particular emphasis on the management of that relationship, is discussed. Brief consideration is also given to the context of drug sales at raves and other dance events, as it is often the case that “the offer” in this context may be made to users unknown to the dealer.