Buying drugs isn't as easy as popping down the local shop in your pyjamas to pick up some milk. It may sound obvious, but buying drugs is illegal, so your consumer rights fly out the window, and you're at the mercy of criminals. TheSite.org explains how to minimise the dangers.

Dealing with drug dealers

Drug dealers come in all forms. They can be terrifying gangsters living out a Sopranos fantasy, dodgy ex-cons trying to make a quick buck, a posh-o getting a kick from breaking the law, or maybe just your mate who happens to know the right people. The thing to remember is - drug dealers have no rules, laws or ethical regulations to abide by. Following this advice may help minimise the risks, but here at TheSite.org we can't guarantee you'll ever be safe when buying drugs.

Stay safe when buying drugs

• Don't buy from strangers - no matter what great claims they make about their gear. Without some kind of background info, you could be dealing with an undercover cop or a rip-off artist with a pocket full of talcum powder wraps. The illicit and highly competitive nature of the dealing business also means violence is a possibility, too.
• If you've got an OK relationship with your dealer, it's worth asking them if they've tried the merchandise on offer. You can't guarantee the same experience, but it may give you a better picture of the likely effects. But bear in mind they still might say anything to guarantee a quick sale.
• Whatever you buy, do not take it all at once. You don't know what's in it. Try a small quantity first to help you suss out how strong it is.

Dangers of dealing to your friends

You might not think selling on a few pills or baggies to your close mates makes you a drug dealer, but in the eyes of the law it does. Avoid buying drugs for your friends because if you're caught by the coppers they will classify you as a dealer. Even a couple of pills or a lump of hash split into pieces could see the charge rise from possession to possession with intent to supply, which has much harsher penalties.

Buying drugs off the internet

The new big dealer on the block is the internet. More and more young people are logging on to buy drugs online, especially legal highs and pharmaceuticals. With just a few clicks you can purchase a variety of legal highs, Viagra, heavy-duty sleeping pills, Valium, diet pills, antidepressants and Ritalin. But, even though it seems awfully useful to have your postie hand-deliver your latest fix, there are risks to buying drugs online.

• Buying prescription drugs without a proper chat with your doctor opens you up to all sorts of dangers. Your body may be allergic and therefore taking certain drugs could be fatal.
• Lots of pharmaceutical drugs and some legal highs can be highly addictive.
• Buying from dodgy sites ensures you have no idea if what you're taking is real, fake, or potentially dangerous. It's much harder to ensure your dosage is correct. Plus the drugs could be out of date.

To check a website's authenticity, look for the internet pharmacy logo endorsed by the General Pharmaceutical Council. You can also enter the details of your chosen website into their register to check if it's legit.

Updated: 03/05/2011

By Holly Thompson