DRUGS AND YOUR PUB

IS IT YOUR CONCERN?

YES!

• It is illegal
• It has the potential to damage your trade and reputation
• Potential for other criminal activity such as extortion and violence
• You could risk the loss of your licence and livelihood
• YOU are responsible under the Misuse of Drugs Act if you knowingly allow the use or sale of illegal drugs on your premises including the smoking of cannabis on your premises. You are at risk of a maximum jail sentence of 14 years plus a fine and the loss of your livelihood.

PREVENTION

High standards of cleanliness and service are a powerful deterrent to the drugs trade. These standards show that you care about your pub and will not tolerate illegal activity.

Low standards indicate that you don’t care -  which is what dealers and users are looking for – dirty ashtrays, uncollected glasses and sloppy service can almost be an invitation. It shows the staff are not going to tables regularly and therefore drug use or dealing is more likely to go unnoticed.

High-profile management – being there, knowing your customers, making your presence felt and staying alert will discourage the drugs trade from your pub. Users and dealers are not stupid and will not, on the whole, take unnecessary risks.

Bar staff need to maintain your high standard of bar cleanliness, service and vigilance at all times.

WORK WITH THE POLICE

Show that you are making an effort by attending any police briefings, join Pubwatch etc. This will also keep you up to date with local information. Ask them to bring the sniffer dog through now and again or ask the local police to add your premises to their beat. The idea of police officers popping in any time can be a deterrent – especially if it is seen that the officer knows you and talks to you.

Know your local police team and ask for advice on preventative measures and who to contact if you need to report a problem. If you do report things to the police – keep a record of when and who you’ve spoken to.

The police will support your efforts to prevent drug use and dealing in pubs, but will take a very hard line with licensees who tolerate or appear to tolerate drug use or dealing.

• Pieces of burnt tin foil

• Torn – up beer mats / cigarette packets / torn bits of rizla papers / bits of cardboard left on tables or in ashtrays

• Roaches (rolled up card used in the end of a joint/spliff)

• Hand rolled cigarettes without a filter that give off more then normal amount of smoke and smell different to ordinary tobacco

• Dented pop cans with burn marks or water bottles with holes and burn marks (used by crack or cannabis smokers) – most likely to be found in the car park or beer garden

• Small folded shiny paper squares – can be glossy paper, card or foil

• The appearance of empty sweet wrappers in toilets

• Payment with tightly rolled bank notes or notes that have been tightly rolled

• Traces of blood or powdery substance on bank notes

• Traces of powder on toilet seats, cisterns, sinks, toilet roll dispensers and other surfaces or obviously wiped-clean surfaces

• Syringes (DO NOT TOUCH WITH BARE HANDS) and dispose of safely

• Spoons left in toilets

• Drinking straws left in toilets or rolled up tubes of tin foil

* GUIDANCE ONLY *

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

If you look at the average person in the street – could you honestly tell if they had had one alcohol drink that day just by looking at them? It is also very difficult to assess someone’s drug taking unless they are actually stoned or high and even then drug use can mimic medical conditions – so be wary of making snap judgements.

• Very dilated pupils (The black pupil of the eye is huge compared the iris). Normally this would suggest a stimulant drug such as Ecstasy or Cocaine has been used.

• Very ‘pinned’ pupils (small pupils) suggest a depressant drug such as pain killers, solvents or heroin.

• Beware in normal circumstances our pupils expand and contract depending on light levels (and certain medical conditions) so if it’s dark in the pub pupils will be larger. Also suddenly coming in from a sunny day to a dark pub can alter their appearance too!

• Sudden severe cold symptoms following a trip to the toilets / garden / car park – sniffing, possible nose bleed, ‘bunged up’

• White marks/traces of powder around the nostrils

• Customer appears not to be aware that their nose is dripping either mucus or blood. Cocaine is an anaesthetic and they will be unable to feel the sensation. Amphetamine may also may the nose run or bleed.

• Excessive sniffing, dripping nose, watering or red bloodshot eyes

BEHAVIOUR

Again – beware of snap judgements!

·        Unnaturally dopey, vacant staring or quite sleepy

·        Non-stop movement, jiggling about, fidgeting

·        Gagging or retching actions ( particularly following smoking )

·        Excessive consumption of soft drinks or water

·        Sudden, inexplicable tearfulness, aggression, agitation or fright

·        A marked alteration in behaviour following a trip to the toilets, car park or garden

·        Nodding off ( also a sign of too much drink ) in either case someone has had too much of something and there ‘could’ be a danger of overdose from either substance. Make sure you have a ‘plan’ in place of what to do.

REMEMBER – dealers don’t always look like a stereotypical ‘dealer’ and can be any age or profession.

• A person has a number of ‘visitors’ who stay with him/her only a short length of time.

• A person making frequent visits to the toilet, car park or garden followed by a different person each time

• Someone parked up in your car park talking to numerous visitors to the car

• The open or attempted secret exchange of money or packages, pieces of paper

• Furtive behaviour – huddling in groups in corners or away from the rest of the patrons whispering

• Conversations which include frequent reference to drug slang names i.e.

ECSTASY: E, pills

CANNABIS:  blow, weed, pot, doobie, spliff, draw, roach, hash, skunk, dope, bush

COCAINE: Charlie, snow, c, powder

CRACK: Base, rocks, wash, stone

HEROIN:  brown, gear, H, shit, scag

AMPHETAMINE: whiz, speed, billie, sulph

LSD: Tabs, Acid, trips

·        Frequent glass collecting, emptying ashtrays or wiping tables provides cover for surveillance and shows you care about your pub and does not enable users/dealers to go unnoticed.

·        Get to know your customers and make sure they know you.

·        Make regular checks on the ladies and gents toilets, car park and garden.

·        Train staff in awareness of the issues and signs to look out for.

·        Ensure your staff inform you immediately but discreetly if they see or hear anything suspicious.

DEALING WITH A PROBLEM

Ignoring the problem in the hope it may go away is not a good idea – it rarely does. By turning a blind eye you are more likely to be encouraging further illegal activity.

Make sure you have a plan in place on how to deal with suspicions with the backing of your management. Decide what circumstances a call to the local police is needed – and what constitutes a 999 call (e.g. violence / disorder) and who will be informed about the decision.

IF YOU SUSPECT USE / DEALING

• You have a right to decide who you allow in your pub and who you don’t.

• You have a right to tell someone such activity is not tolerated on your premises and ask them to leave – stay calm and be polite.

• You can de-personalise the situation by pointing out that you have legal obligations, it’s your licence etc – give facts not opinions to avoid confrontations.

• In general drug users / dealers are not as aggressive as someone who has had too much to drink and will in the main leave after a quiet word – after all what they are doing is illegal and they will not want the bother of the police.

• Occasionally drug use may lead to aggressive behaviour so if you feel unable to tackle the situation know who to contact whether it’s the police or management.

• Work with the police! If you suspect wholesale dealing is going on then the proactive unit will want to know about it. Either contact your local police officer or the Proactive Unit at Police Headquarters.

If you need further advice or a confidential chat, please do not hesitate to contact us on 615622 or email info@drugs.org.im