Glasgow

Law Enforcement

Police often ignored even fairly obvious smoking, unless children were nearby or somebody complained. A fine was commonly expected. Other Glasgow accounts were less relaxed about taking that chance. The nearby Marijuana Laws section includes later changes for prescription cannabis.

The first Scottish Drug Court

In October 2001, Glasgow Sheriff Court opened Scotland’s first Drug Court. A working group had found that it could operate under existing law. The pilot could take only 150–200 orders a year. It was for repeat offenders over 21, with a serious pattern of drug misuse linked to offending and a problem that could be treated. Cannabis misuse alone didn’t qualify.

Indictment cases, outstanding matters on Petition and current Drug Treatment and Testing Orders from the High Court or a stipendiary magistrate excluded a case. Dual diagnoses of drug misuse and mental health problems generally did too. The trigger case had to start in Custody Court and involve a substantive offence committed after 15 October 2001. Failure to appear alone didn’t count. Other complaints could be dealt with together. Cases with multiple accused weren’t screened before the Custody Court appearance and were handled case by case afterwards.

Most cases were expected to come through guilty pleas, though referral after trial was possible. The emphasis was on early intervention. Police normally flagged a case to the Procurator Fiscal’s designated staff member, or the defence could raise it. The Fiscal could convene the solicitor, police and social work representatives. If they agreed and negotiated a suitable plea, the Custody Court sheriff could defer the case for four weeks for assessment and drug testing and admit the offender to bail. The decision was the sheriff’s. If referred, the Drug Court had the full range of summary sentencing options.

Types of Marijuana

Soap bar, polm, hash and grass all turned up in Glasgow. Hash was often more popular than grass and could be better quality, though it wasn’t always easy to get. Once you found someone with it, they usually kept it in stock. Mostly Indian hash, dear but worth it. Good polm was nearly as widespread as soap bar.

Grass ran from pretty bad to amazing: White Widow, Purple Haze, Bubble Gum, Mango, whatever was growing. Hash varied from excellent homemade stuff to what I called “soap bar, shite cut with everything from veterinary products to melted-down records.” That was a complaint about quality, not a tested list of ingredients.

Where to buy marijuana in Glasgow

Kelvingrove Park was a place where people smoked openly. In Townhead near Buchanan Bus Station, people suggested talking to the local neds and playing it cool. The Barras was another likely place to smell it. There were busy nightclubs and late cafés, too. Better through friends than somebody on the street who might turn out to be dangerous.

Glasgow marijuana prices

£60 an ounce, or purchases for £20 or £40 depending on the dealer, with no weight given. A mid-to-high-grade eighth could go for £25.

Scotland, United Kingdom. GMT/UTC+0 as recorded, calling code +44, Glasgow area code 141.

More Information

Old men drinking whisky by the bottle. Lads jostling in pubs. Women and children screaming obscenities at the football. There’s some truth in the pictures people used to have of Glasgow, but there’s a lot more to this Clyde city. It grew beyond its blue-collar roots into a party town for students, travelers and stoners of every kind.

Glasgow native Steven found hash “much more popular than grass.” He paid £10 a gram (about US$14 then) and usually found it through home-based sellers or in indie and grunge bars and clubs. Another eighth of hash went for £15 (about US$21). There was “plenty around if you know where to look,” but you never knew if the weight was right.

Deputy justice minister Angus MacKay put cutting drug availability at the heart of Scotland’s strategy. Chief Constable John Orr of Strathclyde Police warned dealers: “You are being sought and you will be caught.” NORML’s account at the time distinguished drug use from possession or purchase and described cannabis and resin as Class B, with up to six months and/or a fine on summary conviction. It said fines were usual in cannabis cases.

Steven thought Glasgow Gig on the Green and T in the Park were more relaxed than an ordinary night of smoking outside. Then there was Hogmanay, when thousands counted down in George Square. “Anything goes at this time,” he said.

Music, pubs and late nights

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut was small but cool. Big bands played there and plenty of others got their start there. Steven found attitudes to hash relaxed, though “alcohol is the mainstay and Tennents Lager tends to be the choice of the masses.”

Mark’s picks were Planet Peach and Archaos on Queen Street, Glasgow School of Art’s club on Renfrew Street, The Arches on Midland Street, Cathouse on Union Street, Nice ’N’ Sleazy on Sauchiehall Street and 13th Note Café on King Street. For what was on, he’d get The List, a fortnightly Glasgow and Edinburgh guide sold at newsagents and magazine shops.

The Tunnel off Argyle Street was a dance favorite. Bier Halle Republic on Gordon Street had more than 160 beers. Waxy O’Connors on West George Street fit six bars into a maze of halls and stairs. For late munchies and a pint, there was Café 24-7 on Sauchiehall Street.

At Strathclyde’s Student Union on John Street, Tuesdays and Thursdays drew a crowd for cheap drinks. Students sometimes knew about soft drugs, too. “With five bars and an extra dance floor on Saturday night, there is something for everyone,” said Karen. At The Garage, “the music is really cheesy, the atmosphere is booming, the drinks are cheap.”