If a loved one or a friend has a substance use disorder, you may be wondering what they are spending to support their addiction.
The most commonly sought-after illicit drugs include opioids such as heroin, stimulants such as cocaine, and powerful hallucinogens such as LSD and Psilocybin (magic mushrooms).
Addiction can be costly, but the overall price of illicit drugs varies by a range of factors including geographic location, supply and demand, purity of the drug, and more.
Cost Of Illicit Drugs By Type
The illicit drug market is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States. To help people understand the steep cost of addiction, our team has gathered the information below about the average street cost of illegal drugs.
Cost Of Heroin
Heroin is an opioid that can be sold on the street in a variety of forms. One common type is a sticky substance referred to as black tar heroin. Heroin can also be found as a white or brown powder.
The street price of heroin currently sits between $150 to $500 per gram. This price will fluctuate based on the purity level and type of heroin.
Cost Of Meth
Methamphetamine, otherwise known as “meth”, is a powerful stimulant that costs between $20 to $40 per gram.
Like other illicit drugs, the cost of meth on the street is determined by the purity and local demand for the substance.
Street Cost Of Cocaine
Cocaine is a stimulant that comes in two formulations. In its powder form, cocaine “coke” can sell on the street for $60 to $100 per gram.
The other type of cocaine is a rock-like version of the drug called “crack”. Crack cocaine prices typically average $60 per gram.
Price Of Ecstasy
Ecstasy is a popular “party drug” also known as molly or MDMA. The street price of ecstasy can be vastly different depending on the strength of the dosage. The cost per tablet can range between $1 to $80 on average.
Street Price Of Marijuana
The cost of marijuana on the street differs greatly based on location, as many states have legalized the drug for medical and recreational use.
The street price per ounce of cannabis is between $100 to $200 per ounce. It can be purchased in the form of cigarettes (“joints”), ounce bags, or an ingestible form called “edibles”.
Cost Of Ketamine
Ketamine, or “special K” is an anesthesia medicine that is used as a recreational drug. The average price of Ketamine is $25 per ingestible lozenge.
Cost Of PCP (Angel Dust)
Phencyclidine (PCP) is a hallucinogenic drug commonly found in pill, liquid, or powder form.
The price of PCP varies based on its form, with pills costing between $5 to $15. The powder costs $20 to $30, and the price of liquid-form PCP is $300 per ounce.
Price Of Psilocybin (Shrooms)
Psilocybin, also known as magic mushrooms or shrooms, is a popular hallucinogen. A single dose is typically measured as an eighth of an ounce. A dose of shrooms will cost around $30 on the street.
Street Cost Of LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also called “acid”, is a hallucinogenic party drug that is bought in dissolvable “tabs”. The cost of a tab of acid on the street is $5.
How Is The Street Price Of Illicit Drugs Determined?
The street price of illegal drugs sold across the United States will vary significantly due to policymakers, public policy, and an array of other factors.
Some of the factors that influence the illicit drug market include:
- purity of the illicit substances
- where the drug is being sold
- the cost of drug trafficking
- supply and demand
- the amount being purchased
- the local prevalence of the substance
- the type (powder, liquid, pill, etc.) of substance
- law enforcement and local drug policy
The price of illegal drugs is constantly changing. It does not, however, take into account the total cost that people with drug use disorders pay for potential hospitalizations or criminal justice issues that may arise.
Find The Right Substance Abuse Treatment Program
Drug addiction is costly, but if you or a loved one has a substance use disorder, help is available at our Canton, Massachusetts recovery center.
Contact the Bedrock Recovery Center helpline for more information on our inpatient rehab programs and other treatment options.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse https://nida.nih.gov/drug-topics/trends-statistics
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) https://www.samhsa.gov/data/
- United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime https://dataunodc.un.org/drugs/heroin_and_cocaine_prices_in_eu_and_usa
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services https://www.hhs.gov/programs/prevention-and-wellness/mental-health-substance-abuse/index.html
- U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) https://www.dea.gov/resources/data-and-statistics
