NCJ Number
158868
Date Published
1995
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This report provides information on prices for illegal cocaine, heroin, marijuana, hallucinogens, depressants, and stimulants in the United States from January 1992 through March 1995; purity levels are included for cocaine and heroin, as well as the THC potency for marijuana.
Abstract
The data were compiled from Drug Enforcement Administration field division reports. The highest and lowest reported prices during the quarter for each drug provide the national range. Cocaine prices at the kilogram level remained relatively low in the primary importation/distribution centers of Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York City, as well as in most other major U.S. cities during January through March 1995. The national average purity of cocaine remained relatively high at all levels of the traffic during January through March 1995. At the kilogram, ounce, and gram levels, the purity averaged 85, 70, and 63 percent, respectively, during that time frame. For heroin, the most significant trend is its continued high purity at the gram and ounce levels. During January through March 1995, gram purity averaged 56 percent for purchases and 64 percent for seizures. Purity at the ounce level averaged 56 percent for purchases and 64 percent for seizures. Numerous and diverse foreign sources of supply generally accounted for the wide variances in price. During January through March 1995, the price for a pound of commercial grade marijuana ranged from $300 to $4,000; a decade ago, the price ranged from $300 to $600 per pound. With the recent increase of methamphetamine produced both in the United States and Mexico, the price will remain relatively low, and possibly decline, at all levels of the traffic within the foreseeable future. Although there was some fluctuation in the price of LSD nationally over the past several years, the overall price for this hallucinogen remained relatively low. During January through March 1995, the price of LSD ranged from $0.25 to $5.00 per wholesale dosage unit, and from $1.00 to $10.00 per retail dosage unit. Extensive tabular data