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Get in touch with Zinnia Health today to learn more about science-led addiction treatment at treatment facilities around the country that produces life-changing results. Based on the street prices range of $60-$200 per gram, an ounce costs between $1,680 to $5,600. Benzodiazepines are a classification of prescription drugs that are often prescribed to patients dealing with anxiety. These drugs have largely taken the place of barbiturates for most medical use. Despite being prescribed medications, benzodiazepines can be addictive, particularly when used for purposes other than their intended use.
We also highlight great shortages in drugs across classes, particularly in mood-stabilizing psychiatric drugs and basal and bolus insulin. Our findings highlight the growing financial burden of chronic disease treatment in Lebanon and the importance of implementing both short- and long-term solutions to mitigate the impact of the crisis on public health. Data about the street price of diverted prescription opioid medications can be useful to policymakers and public health officials, but timely and accurate data are rarely available publicly. In this paper, we present findings of a national analysis of street price data for prescription opioid analgesics. Our findings show consistent prices per milligram across 3 independent sources, and that prices for different opioid active ingredients on the black market reflect their clinically established potency.
Prescription Drugs That Medicare Spends The Most On
When it comes to illegal drugs, there are many substances that fetch a high price on the black market. However, one drug stands out as the most expensive of them all – fentanyl.
What is Fentanyl?
Why Do Black Markets Exist?
With the closing of NDIC and the absence of a gold standard, we relied on triangulating street prices from 3 different sources, with our results showing remarkable consistency and robustness of prices across opioid molecules. In situations where a gold standard is not available and the behavior under question is illicit, crowdsourcing and data mining provide alternative strategies for collecting information. Reference data for street prices were obtained from the Researched Abuse, Diversion and Addiction Related Surveillance (RADARS) System Drug Diversion program, which collects data from approximately 280 police agencies in 49 US states on a quarterly basis. Methods of the RADARS System Drug Diversion Program, which is operated by the Center for Applied Research on Substance Use and Health Disparities, Nova Southeastern University (Miami, Florida), have been described previously [37].
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent. It is typically prescribed to treat severe pain, such as that experienced by cancer patients or individuals recovering from surgery. However, fentanyl has also gained notoriety for its illicit use and distribution on the black market.
Video: Drug Trafficking By The Numbers
Cocaine can inflict damage to multiple organs and parts of the body, including the nose, throat, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, and heart. Cocaine use is also linked to an increased risk of stroke and inflammation of the heart muscle. Those with a severe Heroin addictions have described purchasing 10 to 15 bags of the drug per day.
Why is Fentanyl So Expensive?
The high cost of fentanyl on the black market can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the potency of fentanyl means that only small amounts are needed to produce a significant effect, making it a valuable commodity for drug dealers. Additionally, fentanyl is relatively easy to produce in clandestine labs, allowing suppliers to flood the market with the drug and drive up prices due to its high demand.
The Dangers of Fentanyl Abuse
Black markets also arise when people don’t want to pay taxes on the transaction for legal or illegal goods or services. Some black markets exist simply because people don’t realize there are laws they aren’t following, such as bartering and not reporting the taxable value of the transaction, or hiring a regular housekeeper or babysitter but failing to pay employment taxes. Major cartels saw growth due to a prominent set culture of Mexican society that created the means for drug capital. One of the sites of origin for drug trafficking within Mexico, was the state of Michoacán. Industrialization of rural areas of Mexico facilitated a greater distribution of drugs, expanding the drug market into different provinces.[79] Once towns became industrialized, cartels such as the Sinaloa Cartel started to form and expand.
Despite its potency, fentanyl poses a serious risk to users due to its high potential for overdose. The drug can depress the respiratory system to dangerous levels, leading to respiratory failure and death. In recent years, fentanyl-related deaths have been on the rise, prompting concerns about the widespread availability and abuse of this deadly substance.
- Fentanyl isn’t the only drug mixture that has the federal Drug Enforcement Administration concerned as the growing threat of xylazine is starting to make its way into Texas.
- Opium has a long history of entrenching into and ravaging communities from ancient china, to modern opiates/opioids that are causing harm today.
- Last May, he went to see an endocrinologist, and things have been going well since.
- In a clinical trial, 27 percent of participants who received the treatment saw at least some reduction in their cancer which lasted about nine months.
In Conclusion
While fentanyl may be the most expensive drug on the black market, its high cost comes at a steep price in terms of public health and safety. The dangers associated with fentanyl abuse highlight the urgent need for increased efforts to combat the illicit production and distribution of this deadly substance.
