Average Cost Of Illicit Street Drugs

The illegal drug trade is one of the largest underground economies in the world. Research shows that people in the United States collectively spend billions of dollars on the purchase of illicit drugs such as heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana each year. These massive spending figures show how widespread drug use is and help explain the profits that drive criminal organizations and addiction cycles in communities.

Not all of these drugs are priced the same way. The average cost of illicit drugs can be influenced by a variety of factors, including availability, the type of drug, and where you live. Geographic location plays a major role, with drugs often costing much more in rural areas where supply chains are riskier. Purity levels, law enforcement activity, competition between dealers, and production costs all affect street prices. Drugs that require complex manufacturing or long-distance smuggling typically cost more than those made locally.

Common Illicit Street Drugs

The street value of illicit drugs can vary according to the type of drug that is being purchased, as well as the formulation.

For example, a powder, pill, or solid substance such as crystal meth or black tar heroin.

Heroin

Heroin comes in the form of either a white powder, brown powder, or blackish-brown substance known as black tar heroin—all three of which can vary in price according to drug purity level.

The street price of heroin can range between $150 to $500 per gram, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Black tar heroin use is generally cheaper than powder forms because it’s easier to produce and is less pure than powdered forms of the opioid.

Cocaine

Cocaine, or “coke,” is an illicit stimulant drug that is typically ingested in a powder form. One gram can make up about 25 “hits” or 10 lines of cocaine. The cost of cocaine is between $60 to $110 per gram in the United States, based on the average price data.

Crack cocaine, the rock-like form of coke, is usually cheaper than powder forms, with an average cost of $60 per gram.

Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine, or meth, is an illegal drug that can come in the form of a powder or rock form, also known as crystal meth. The cost of meth can range from $5 a hit, or $20 to $40 for one gram. The average dose of meth is 0.2 grams. One gram accounts for about five doses. Wholesale prices (in the kilograms) may be lower.

Molly (MDMA)

Molly is a slang term for the hallucinogenic drug MDMA, also known as ecstasy. According to the UNODC, the price of MDMA (Molly)  can range from $1 to $80 per pill or tablet. The average cost is $5 to $25 per pill.

DMT

Dimethyltryptamine, or DMT, is a hallucinogenic drug that comes in the form of a powder. The average street price of DMT is anywhere from $100 to $300 per gram. The average dose of DMT is 10 to 60 milligrams (mg).

LSD

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known as “acid”, is a synthetic hallucinogen. The cost of LSD (Acid) on the street is about $2 to $5 per hit, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Ketamine (Special K)

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that is used recreationally. It is also administered as a prescription drug for pain relief and depression. The street price of ketamine, or “Special K”, can range from $20 to $25 per dosage unit. Legal ketamine infusions for depression treatment can cost upwards of $400 to $2,000 a session.

PCP

Phencyclidine (PCP) is a “party drug” hallucinogen that is most commonly sold in liquid or powder form. The cost of PCP (angel dust) on the street can range from $20 to $30 for a gram of powder PCP, $5 to $15 per tablet, or $200 to $300 for an ounce of liquid PCP.

Psilocybin Mushrooms

Mushrooms, also known as “shrooms” or “magic mushrooms,” can range in cost from $25 to $30 for a single “trip”. The street cost of psilocybin can range between $50 to $200 an ounce.

Marijuana

Although legal for limited medical use in many states, marijuana—also known as weed, pot, and cannabis—is illegal for recreational use in most states. Marijuana is typically bought in the form of a joint, edible, or by the ounce. The average cost of weed on the street is $10 to $15 per gram and $100 to $200 per ounce. One joint contains about half of a gram of weed.

Purchasing Sizes For Illicit Street Drugs

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There are a wide range of terms that are used to describe common unit sizes for illicit street drugs. This includes actual measurement terms, as well as slang terms.

Purchasing sizes for illicit street drugs may include:

• ounce: sold in one-quarter, one-half-, and one full ounce
• grams: milligram, gram, kilogram
• pound: 16 ounces or 454 grams
• baggie: about 50 mg (small), or 1 gram (sandwich bag)
• elbow: one pound
• 8-ball: eighth of an ounce
• bricks: often equivalent to one kilogram
• bundles: one gram
• teener: 1/16 ounce
• single dose: such as one pill, line, or hit
• bottle: for pills or tablets

Common purchasing sizes vary depending on the type of drug. Heroin, for instance, is commonly sold in bags. Ecstasy, on the other hand, might be bought by the dose or by the bottle.

Prescription opioids such as methadone or prescription benzodiazepines may be illicitly sold in their original pill or liquid form, or in a crushed up powder form.

What Factors Can Affect Street Prices For Illicit Drugs?

Average street prices for drugs aren’t fixed like prices at a regular store. They are subject to change according to a whole host of factors that can shift from day to day, season to season, or year to year. Understanding these price influences helps explain why the same drug might cost very different amounts in different places or at different times.

Factors that can affect street prices for illicit drugs include:

• Drug Supply: when supplies are low due to busts or production problems, prices go up
• Affordability: dealers may lower prices in areas where people have less money to spend
• Demand: popular drugs or those in high demand typically cost more
• Local Drug Policy: stricter policies can increase prices by making selling riskier
• Prevalence of the Drug: common drugs in an area usually cost less than rare ones
• Competition Between Dealers in the Local Drug Market: more dealers competing can drive prices down
• Ease of Drug Trafficking and Distribution: difficult transport routes increase costs
• Travel Restrictions: border controls and checkpoints can limit supply and raise prices
• Geographic Location: prices vary widely between regions like Canada, Europe, USA, and South America
• Drug Purity Level: pure drugs cost more than those cut with other substances like fentanyl
• Drug Laws: harsher penalties increase the risk for dealers, who charge more to compensate
• Law Enforcement Presence: heavy police activity can reduce supply and increase prices

The drug market works somewhat like any other market, but with the added complications of being illegal. The cost of many illicit drugs has shifted over time, due to a variety of economic, social, cultural, and political factors. For example, when new synthetic drugs become easier to make, they often become cheaper than traditional drugs. Economic downturns can also affect drug prices, as both dealers and users may have less money available.

Illicit Drug Abuse And Addiction

Buying illicit drugs like heroin or cocaine can be a sign of drug abuse. That is, a compulsive pattern of misusing drugs for their effects or for other personal reasons.

Over time, the use of illicit drugs can lead to significant life problems, including:

• financial issues due to healthcare and drug costs
• difficulty finding or keeping employment
• relationship problems
• physical and mental health issues
• legal problems

People who buy drugs off the street regularly may pay more and more for these drugs over time, as they develop a higher tolerance and need more of the drug to get through the day. If this describes you or a loved one, finding an addiction treatment program may be your best option. Recovering from drug abuse and addiction is possible.

The first step towards getting help for addiction is to find substance abuse treatment for yourself or a loved one. Contact your primary care provider or reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for more information about addiction recovery.

Written by the Addiction Resource Editorial Staff