Opioids cost an average of about $10 per dose on the street. Prescription opioid prices can range from less than $1 to more than $30 per pill. The price of opioids where you live depend on the availability and demand for opioids in your area.
Buying and consuming street opioids is a form of opioid abuse. Taking prescription opioids to get high is also a form of opioid abuse. Abusing opioids increases your risk of a life-threatening overdose or long-term health problems.
In 2022, United States law enforcement reported seizing record amounts of illicit fentanyl, suggesting the drug is highly available for illicit drug use. Getting help for a substance abuse condition can help you to stop using opioids in the long term.
Prescription Costs Of Opioid Analgesics
Without discounts, coupons, or health insurance, the average prescription costs of legal opioid drugs includes:
- 10 mg OxyContin (brand name oxycodone) – $4 to $6 per pill
- 10 mg Percocet (brand name oxycodone) – $30 per pill
- 10 mg generic oxycodone – $1 to $4 per pill
- 10 mg Norco (brand name hydrocodone) – $4 per pill
- 10 mg generic hydrocodone – $0.10 to $0.40 per pill
- 50 mg Ultram (brand name tramadol) – $3 to $4 per pill
- 50 mg generic tramadol – $0.15 to $0.30 per pill
A 30-day supply of brand name opioids can cost over $200. Brand name prescription opioids can be difficult to afford for many Americans, especially without insurance.
The price of an opioid prescription depends on where you are, your primary care provider, and the formulation of the prescribed opioid. Health insurance plans and coupons may cover some or all of your prescription cost.
Street Prices Of Common Opioids
The average street value of opioids may include:
- 10 mg fentanyl – $3 to $15 per dose
- 10 mg heroin – $2 per dose
- 10 mg oxycodone – $10 per dose
- hydrocodone – $2 to $10 per dose
These values may include opioids illegally bought through online black market operations. Prices of street opioids are less predictable than prices of prescription drugs.
The strength, amount, and purity of the drug can affect the prices of opioids on the illicit drug market. Combination drugs which contain opioids, stimulants, and other types of drugs can sell for different prices.
Prices can also vary depending on your location, and the types of illicit opioids sold there.
Risks Of Buying Opioids On The Street
The demand for street opioids in the U.S. is likely driven by limited access to healthcare, mental health problems, and people looking to get high from street drugs.
Although some people may turn to street opioids to get high or cope with mental health problems, the risks of taking street opioid painkillers likely outweigh the short-term upsides.
Health risks of taking street opioids include a higher risk of drug overdose, unknowingly taking other drugs, and long-term health risks.
Fentanyl-Laced Drugs & Overdose
Recent news reports and statistics suggest fentanyl is a common street opioid, especially compared to other opioid drugs. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can be 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin.
Fentanyl is an appealing illicit opioid due to its strength and relatively low price. Only a small amount of fentanyl is needed to get high compared to other opioids. Sometimes, illicit drugs can contain fentanyl without the buyer knowing.
If you ingest fentanyl accidentally, you may have a high risk of opioid overdose.
The amount of fentanyl needed to cause an overdose is significantly lower than other prescription opioids. In 2021, about 70,000 overdose deaths involved fentanyl, or about 70 percent of all overdose deaths in the U.S.
Opioid Addiction
Taking illicit or prescription opioids bought on the street can increase the risk of addiction.
Opioid addiction, also known as opioid use disorder, is a mental health condition where you need opioids to function properly. Physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms can occur in people struggling with addiction, which can make quitting difficult.
Our opioid addiction treatment center offers medical detox schedules, methadone or buprenorphine maintenance treatment, and mental health services.
To learn how our treatment programs can fit the specific needs of you or your loved one, please contact Bedrock Recovery Center today.
- Council on Foreign Relations - Fentanyl and the U.S. Opioid Epidemic https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/fentanyl-and-us-opioid-epidemic
- Drug and Alcohol Dependence - Listed for sale: analyzing data on fentanyl, fentanyl analogs and other novel synthetic opioids on one cryptomarket https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7736148/
- Drug Enforcement Administration - Fentanyl https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/fentanyl
- NPR - 2022 was a deadly (but hopeful) year in America's opioid crisis https://www.npr.org/2022/12/31/1145797684/2022-was-a-deadly-but-hopeful-year-in-americas-opioid-crisis
- National Institute on Drug Abuse - Drug Overdose Death Rates https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates
- United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime - World Drug Report 2023 https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/world-drug-report-2023.html
