Opinion: How homeless people get drugs without paying for them

It’s a tired refrain, but a legitimate question: How do homeless people obtain drugs when they don’t have any money?

As someone who has battled addiction and lived amongst substance abusers, it’s true the drugs can be obtained even when you’re broke. But how?

Well, many people sell the points on their food stamp cards for 50 cents on the dollar. So, if someone buys $20 worth of drugs, the dealer gets to use $40 worth of their food stamps. As you can imagine, the EBT balance gets drawn down quickly when people do this. Other people do odd jobs for the drug dealers in exchange for free narcotics. They might clean the house (if the dealer has a home), do the dishes, wash the car, or run errands.

Other people become drug dealers or “runners” themselves to pay for their habits. Runners serve as a go-between between a person wanting drugs and a dealer. They get the drugs and deliver them to the buyer, usually dipping into the bag first. Of course, selling drugs is illegal and a substantial risk for a fix.

Recycling metal, flying a sign, drug dealers as pawn brokers

Many people recycle metal to pay for drugs. Others “fly a sign.” That’s when panhandlers flash a sign to traffic asking for money, hoping someone will pull over with some paper bills or spare change.

Dealers often become makeshift pawn shops as customers bring in wireless headphones, watches and even computers to trade for drugs. Dealers generally offer an extremely low price for the goods they obtain from their customers and then make money selling them at a higher price.

Some people offer sex in exchange in for drugs. Much like dealing drugs, this is illegal and risky. Some people blur the line between being a sex worker and simply having sex with people who supply them drugs. From what I’ve heard, this never works out well.

Other drug users are happy to share

Finally, most people on the street won’t let another person experiencing homelessness go without drugs. Many people don’t want to use drugs alone, which puts them at increased risk of fatal overdose. Most people battling addiction have compassion for other addicted people who need their fix and gladly share.

Some people only obtain drugs by getting freebies from friends and acquaintances. When I experienced homelessness, I had no income at all and would not panhandle. I was completely reliant on other people for my medical marijuana. I seldom when without. People were happy to smoke me up.

Why do drugs if you can’t afford them?

But why don’t people experiencing homelessness simply stop using drugs if they can’t afford them?

It’s clear to me that many of my readers, based on their comments, have no desire to understand a person addicted to drugs. But understanding why people experiencing homelessness use drugs may open your eyes a bit.

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston once said that fentanyl and crystal meth are tailor made for homeless people, keeping them warm and awake. As you can imagine, it’s not safe to fall asleep on the street, especially at night.

Escaping homeless suffering

The hell of homelessness is very, very real – escaping that suffering, which often includes physical pain from cold, heat or exhaustion, is simply part of trying to stay alive. That’s why many homeless people use drugs. In fact, many people don’t begin to use drugs until after they become homeless. Then, it can be hard to quit later, especially if housed with other drug users.

Any longtime drug user will tell you they don’t use the drug to get high anymore, but simply to feel baseline and avoid withdrawals. Detoxing is uncomfortable with diarrhea being the least of someone’s problems.

Unless you’ve experienced the horrors of homelessness, it can be difficult to imagine why some people would use harmful, addictive drugs. But at the end of the day, it’s simply about suffering people seeking relief from pain, emotional and/or physical.