Drug availability and drug markets: prices and purity information

Overview of the data | Tables | Methods and definitions

Overview of the data

The link above gives access to the tables in the bulletin in the section dealing with drug price, potency and purity, as well as to a description of the methods and definitions used in compiling this data. A brief, summary overview is provided below. The tables included in the bulletin give information for countries which provided 2003 data. Tables include data from the EU Member States and Norway.

The tables in this section provide an overview of drug prices and drug purity/potency at retail level for major drug types of interest in 2003 (cannabis, heroin, cocaine, synthetic drugs).

Tables PPP-1 to PPP-4 show reported drug prices at retail level by country, where data are available, for the major drug types of interest in 2003. Part (i) of each table gives minimum, maximum and average prices in euros for 2003 and part (ii) of the table gives the names of the sources of information of the data provided in part (i).

Tables PPP-5 to PPP-8 show reported drug purity/potency at retail level by country, where data are available, for the major drug types of interest in 2003. Part (i) of each table gives minimum, maximum and average prices in euros for 2003; part (ii) of the table gives the sources of information of the data provided in part (i); and part (iii) of the table gives information on the type of sampling and the type of study, both of which affect data provided in part (i).

Summary points

Cannabis

In 2003, the average retail price of cannabis resin in the EU was reported as varying from 1.4 to 21.5 euros per gram, while the price of herbal cannabis ranged from 1.1 to 12 euros per gram.
In 2003, cannabis resin at retail level was reported to have an average THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) content that varied from less than 1 % to 25 %, while herbal cannabis potency ranged from 1 % to 20% (the higher figure relating to home-grown herbal cannabis).

Heroin

In 2003, the average street price of brown heroin was reported to vary between 27 and 144 euros per gram, while the price of white heroin ranged from 25 to 216 euros per gram.
In 2003, the average purity of brown heroin at street level in the EU varied from 6 % to 40 %. Data on purity of white heroin was reported by a few countries only; it ranged on average from 6 % to 70 %.

Cocaine

In 2003, the average price of cocaine at retail level varied widely across the EU, from 34 to 175 euros per gram.
Compared with heroin, the average purity of cocaine at consumer level is high, varying in 2003 from 32 % to 83 %.

Synthetic drugs

In 2003, average amphetamine prices at consumer level varied from 6 euros to 37.5 Euros per gram. The average retail purity of amphetamine in 2003 ranged from 7.5 % to 50 %.
In 2003, ecstasy tablets were reported to cost, on average, between 3.5 and 16 euros each, although prices up of 20 to 30 euros per tablet were also reported.
The average cost to users of an LSD unit in 2003 ranged from 4 to 15 euros, although prices up to 26 euros per unit were also reported.