How did the term “peddling” come to be used in regard to illegally selling drugs? Peddling, by its ordinary nature, makes one think of someone standing in an open marketplace and shouting out for all to hear, what he has to sell. A newsboy, such as you’d see in an old movie is a good example. But illegal drug sales, almost by definition, take place in furtive corners, back rooms, and so on. By the literal, usual meaning of “peddler” a licensed pharmacist would be closer to a “dope peddler”, since there are usually at least two big, lighted signs outside the store, one that says “Prescriptions” and another that says “Drug Town” or “Drug King” or “Super Drug”, or for all I know, “Drug Baron”.
Were there ever actual dope peddlers? AFter governments cracked down on uncontrolled sale of, say, morphine, did anyone sell illegal drugs in such an open way as to make the term “peddling” appropriate?
Because of Tom Lehrer’s song “The Old Dope Peddler.” It was a parody of sentimental songs reminiscing about kindly, elderly street merchants, humorous because drug pushers are more likely to come in for condemnation (e.g. “The Pusher” by Steppenwolf) than praise.
Smoke the weed, tuppence a bag
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag
I’m sure I’ve seen the phrase “peddling dope” in sources pre-Tom Lehrer. Judging by your quote I’d say he was intentionally playing on the very concept I’ve brought up.
You’ve got to think of “peddling” as opposed to “storeowner.” Peddlers were people who went from door-to-door hawking their wares, which, oftentimes, were second-hand goods. It wasn’t a “respectable” trade like owning a store or even working a stall in a marketplace, and peddlers were usually very poor. It was itenerant in nature, meaning that if you got sold inferior goods, you couldn’t go back to the shop and complain-- thought of being less trustworthy, in other words. It has a more “shifty” meaning than “seller”.
Originally the word was “pedlar”, a spelling which British English still retains: the verb “peddle” was a 19th century back-formation, and “peddler” is a forward formation from that. Like burglar.
As Lissa says, ‘peddler’ meaning a travelling seller, as opposed to a seller operating out of a known commercial business.
Most cities nowdays have certain locations where illegal drug sales are quite open – drive up to the location & stop, and 2 or 3 people will come up to your car to ‘peddle’ drugs. Not at all like the furtive, secret sales you mention.
I also think just from the nature of the OP that you’ve never bought drugs. Please, Dopers who have done dope, write in, as I’ve never bought drugs either. But I have watched in full daylight by a dope peddler as I was getting out of the subway in Manhattan, turning from passerby to passerby and saying, “Crack? Crack? Crack?”
What I mean is people may take steps not to be arrested, but that doesn’t mean they’re furtive about it.
A good deal of dope selling seems from the stories I hear (that are incidentally connected with dead people) to go on inside people’s homes, where of course there’s no need to be furtive. Maybe you could change your mental image from one of a hot dog seller to a lady holding a Tupperware party?
Back in the day, there was a community park where drugs were knowingly peddled. You pulled down into the lot and, yes, people would approach your vehicle. I can’t count the number of times I got ripped off. Guess I deserved it, all in all.
One particularly sticks out. Wanting the big C, I gave an unknown young man $80. He said he had to step away to get it and he never came back. I trawled that park for at least three weeks looking for this thief. Never found him. Not quite sure what I’d have done if I had found him, but DAMN, I was pissed. $80 was a lot of money in 1984.
Peddlers, in horse-drawn times, would often go from town to town in shabby wagons that rattled with pots and pans. Some would also sell worthless remedies, too. Folks would buy stuff from the peddler, but nobody trusted him. Remember the shifty peddler in Oklahoma? So, when moralists wanted to make the dope merchant look like somebody you should avoid, it was natural to call him a peddler.