Why Getting High Has Only Gotten Cheaper

Illicit drug prices have declined over recent decades while potency has increased, according to law enforcement and public health data. The DEA reported in 2024 that cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine prices have fallen in many U.S. markets compared to the 1980s and 1990s, even as fentanyl contamination has made street supplies more lethal. The cost per unit of active ingredient in many drugs has decreased as production and trafficking methods have evolved.

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