Liverpool & Scottish bank notes

[Fluoro]

I'm pretty sure that I am not making 'new' news by saying that Liverpool is by far the main supplier of illicit drugs to the rest of Britain, (except for maybe cannabis, with the increasing popularity of cannabis farms popping up all over Britain, and thus the decline in popularity and availability of cannabis resin).

As people (especially the Scottish users of this site) will already know, Scotland has it's own currency, and whilst England also has it's own currency, the two seperate currencies can be used legally both north and south of the border, but because of Scotlands large appetite for class A drugs (and that is not meant as an insult), Liverpool is awash with Scottish bank notes (especially in the underworld). Even when not buying class A drugs, for example if you were to buy a 10 pound bag of skunk, and hand over an English twenty pound note, it is not uncommon to get given a scottish tenner as change. But because of the bad design of the Scottish notes, and their vulnerability to be turned into counterfeits, a lot of shops in Liverpool (especially fast food shops for some reason) refuse to accept them.

As I mentioned, I know they are legal tender in both countries, and as such anywhere in Britain is going to get the odd English/Scottish note from time to time, but not on the scale as seen in Liverpool. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Liverpool does'nt have English notes (of course it does), I'm just saying that it's not rocket science to work out why Liverpool gets a well above average rate of Scottish notes.

Anyone who uses this site that comes from Liverpool or lives in Liverpool, will know that the local paper is called the Liverpool Echo-which I buy on most days, and nearly every week you get articles about people from Liverpool (usually just the couriers) getting nicked with large amounts of class A's (usually heroin), but sometimes cocaine.

If you Google 'Heroin Highway' and scroll down to the free library entry, there is an intersting article on there.

[wastedyouth]

obviously people will know that i am from Glasgow oh! and yes we do have one hell of an appetite for class As. I know that most of the desent stuff up comes from Liverpool if you ever had the chance to get your hands on stuff that had come from Liverpool before it had been trampled all over you deffinetly noticed the difference.  So im not shocked to hear that you are awash with our bank notes.  Liverpool seems to be the hot spot for going to pick up for the big boys for the last 10 or so years and you know what its like once you have a connection thats it,  it's not uncommon to come accross a car full of guys from Liverpool up here if there is a dry up down there.  Great accents!!

[OP8S]

So that's why a lot of English shops, even dealers think scutinise the Scottish bank notes! I don't know why I have never thought of that before as I have made many a trip to Liverpool myself, apart from the obvious reasons I've even taken my now ex partner there on a ( working!? ) holiday. The city itself I always really enjoy & have found the people to be on the whole very friendly. My 2 best mates originally come from Birkenhead but have lived North of the border since their early 20's. It's a great place & I have had many an enjoyable experience there, my first taste of Palf being one. It's not only heroin that comes North of the border obviously. The last time I paid a visit to a mate living in Morton (sp?) I was going to see a few gigs & asked him if he could lay his hands on some amphetamine for me, when he got it, it was exactly the same speed that I had been using at home & I mean exactly! I don't know why I have never put 2 + 2 together & realised it. Small world innit!

[Lindyloo]

Yep all that's v true! Most of the Glaswegian gangs - not the young neds, the big dealers - have close connections to Liverpool, that's been the case with most of the bigger dealers I've met, and as well as using the city as a source for drugs there has also been instances of "hitmen" from Glasgow going south, and vice versa.  The ppl are of a v similar type in Glasgow and Liverpool: friendly but won't take any crap.  Good ppl, for the most part.

[Fluoro]

Lindyloo,do u live in lpool? the only reason I ask is u mentioned on another thread that u were having trouble getting a benzo script..I know the PCT in lpool r cracking down hard on benzo prescribing,I have been lucky n found a decent dr's surgery that have a benzo programme,but the vast majority of dr's surgeries will not prescribe benzos except 4 things like epilepsy,cerebral palsy..But follow my advice n call cita..

[Fluoro]

I also think that pretty soon lpool suppliers will insist that their scottish contacts pay them in english money. 1,because its easier 2 get rid of them in shops etc,and 2,because if they got raided,having english notes is less suspicious..

[Lindyloo]

Thanx Tomo but I lived in Glasgow for 16 years and was pretty heavily involved in the scene there, that's where my knowledge comes from, as opposed to the Liverpool end.  I've now moved to a small town of approx 10,000 ppl on the West Coast of Scotland, it has one Medical Centre which houses all the docs under one roof and they claim to have various policies, like not prescribing benzos.  When they hit you with "thats our policy, I can't go against the other docs" you know you've no chance.  Yet there's no other docs in town to see!! On a lighter note, it's pretty funny, the thought of all the dealers going into banks to demand English cash instead of Scottish before they head off to score 20 keys or whatever.  Incidentally the main reason I moved away from Glasgow was to get away from smack, but this town's awash with it, it's easier to get kit and coke than a bit of hash, and it's twice the price that it is in Glasgow.  So moving up here wasn't a great move after all.

[Fluoro]

Like I say,I would seriously consider phoning cita-although their based in the north west,they specialise in benzo addictions,if u were 2 phone them & explain your situation,they may be able 2 influence your dr's,although i wouldnt mention u use heroin-meth is ok though,say it is having a devastating effect on your physical/mental health & that u want your benzo use 2 b medically supervised

[Ursula]

Benzo prescribing's been severely curtailed all over the place since the most recent guidelines basically ruled out maintenance scripts.  I don't think it's just Liverpool.

[Lindyloo]

You're right Ursula, I spoke to a friend in Glasgow yesterday and he confirmed it was the same there.  Dunno if it's cost or ppl misusing or selling their scripts or waht the reason for it is - does anyone know?  My opinion is this creates a bigger market for street valium.  Thanks for the advice on cita Tomo, i'll see if they can help.

[Fluoro]

Lindyloo,forgive me if i have misinterpreted what u were saying about cost. But benzos (especially the generics) cost buttons..I was looking in the BNF the other day n a box of 28 Nitrazepam cost 1.00, & a box of 28 10mg diazepam cost about the same..But that is just the price the pharmacy pays from their supplier..

[Ursula]

Dunno if it's cost or ppl misusing or selling their scripts or waht the reason for it is - does anyone know? 

It's about the risk of cognitive impairment arising from long-term dependence on benzos.   The risk was felt to outweigh benefit of longer-term prescribing, hence the policy change.

[Lindyloo]

Ah, thats the explanation, thanks Ursula.  I didnt think it'd be cost as they are all now generic/cheaper brands but you never know where the NHS are trying to cut corners - we are constantly hearing how meth costs (I think) 12 million quid a year in Scotland.

[mcdermott]

Like I say,I would seriously consider phoning cita-although their based in the north west,they specialise in benzo addictions

I wouldn't recommend phoning CITA at all. They're more likely to try and sell you some voodoo nostrum and try to have you signed up for a bit of private counselling from the founder than they are to offer useful advice.

There are good reasons why they've never had any local funding.

[Lindyloo]

Thanks Peter.  I don't think I fall into their geographical area anyway.