More than a quarter of British lawyers currently take recreational drugs and nearly 60 per cent said they had done so at some stage in their lives, according to a recent survey of the legal profession and law students. Responding to the survey conducted by Legal Cheek, the Law Society told Breitbart London that lawyers found to be abusing drugs “risk their livelihoods”.
The drugs of choice are not only limited to the softer Class B or C drugs. Suggesting that the habits extend far beyond the odd ‘social spliff’, of the 27 per cent of respondents who said they currently use illegal drugs in some form fully 89 per cent said they indulge in cocaine (of which nine per cent was crack cocaine). The survey found another Class A narcotic, MDMA/ecstasy, is used by 77 per cent of drug using lawyers.
Predictably the most widespread drug misuse related to marijuana, clocking up 93 per cent of current users, but ketamine, magic mushrooms and LSD all scored highly. Four respondents confessed to heroin abuse.
Corporate-commercial lawyers are more likely to take drugs than solicitors working for smaller high street practices. Of those lawyers who say they currently use some form of narcotic 56 per cent work in commercial law firms compare to 36 per cent in general practices covering areas such as immigration, divorce, wills and real estate.
Breitbart London contacted The Law Society, the independent professional body for solicitors (lawyers employed in law firms), for comment on the survey results which purports to represent the views of over 800 lawyers, some of which were barristers (trial lawyers). A spokesperson said:
“It is not clear whether they reflect personal lifestyle choices or problems of addiction.
“The Law Society cannot condone illegal drug taking. Solicitors who are convicted of drugs offences have to be reported to the regulator and risk their livelihoods. Law students may find that they cannot become a solicitor if they have a criminal conviction.
“Equally, we recognise that drug taking can be a response to pressures at work. Legal practice can be a highly pressurised environment. We support several helplines for solicitors suffering from stress or addiction.”
Almost 54 per cent of lawyers surveyed said drugs should be made legal, which according to Legal Cheek indicates “many of those in the front line of the “war on drugs” — either prosecuting or defending dealers and users — reckon the battle is lost.”
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