A Lowdown on Drugs in Paris
Drugs are everywhere, but none of them are legal. France enforces quite a strict drug policy. A new law was created two years ago, which heightened the offence of carrying drugs on your person. You probably will never be searched for drugs, unless police find you doing something suspicious. At Gare du Nord, one of the main train stations, they sometimes pass bags through a sort of detector. This is most likely for explosives, as are the police dogs that are sometimes there, but your best bet is to not travel with drugs.
If you go out, you will probably notice long lines for the bathroom. That’s because everyone's taking cocaine. This is by far the most common nightlife drug, even if you are just in a bar. The best way to buy some is to ask someone in your circle who is presumably taking it for a number. Usually you will text them and someone will either arrive at your location or ask you to get in their car. This is normal and generally you have nothing to worry about, but it can still be quite intimidating. At clubs there will probably be someone selling MDMA, but be wary of pills as there has been an insurgence of extremely potent pills that have caused fatalities. They are also usually cut with large amounts of speed, so always start by taking a quarter and wait to see how you feel. Ketamine has also become quite popular in recent years. Hash is more easily found on the street than weed, but usually you can order weed; just ask someone for a number and the dealer will normally deliver. The quality of weed is not particularly high in Paris. Hallucinogens are harder to come by. At clubs, if you are seen by a security guard buying or taking drugs you will probably get kicked out, but they won’t call the cops.
