Drug availability and drug markets: prices and purity information

Tables | Graphics | Methods and definitions

Overview of the data

The index below lists the tables in the bulletin and the associated graphics in the section dealing with drug price, potency and purity, along with a brief, summary overview. Tables and graphics include data from the EU Member States, the candidate countries and Norway.

The following tables are included in the bulletin, giving information for countries which provided 2004 data.

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 2004 (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 2004. Part (i) of each table gives minimum, maximum and average prices in Euros for 2004 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 (where available: see part (iii)) by country, where data are available, for the major drug types of interest in 2004. Part (i) of each table gives minimum, maximum and average purity/potency in % for 2004; 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).

The following graphics are included in the bulletin, giving information for countries which provided data for at least 2 years over 1999 to 2004.

Figure PPP-1 and Figure PPP-2 show reported potency at retail level (where available: see Table PPP-5 part (iii)) by country, where data are available, for cannabis resin and herbal cannabis over the period 1999 to 2004.

Summary points

Cannabis

In 2004, the average retail price of cannabis resin in the EU was reported as varying from 2.3 to 12 Euros per gram, while the price of herbal cannabis ranged from 2.7 to 11.6 Euros per gram, with a majority of countries reporting prices of both herb and resin between 5 and 10 euros per gram (see Table PPP-1 part (i)).

Average retail prices of both cannabis resin and herbal cannabis (imported or of type unspecified), corrected for inflation (taking 1999 as a base year for the value of money), fell over the period 1999 to 2004 in most reporting countries.

Figure PPP-1In 2004, cannabis resin at retail level was reported to have an average THC content that varied from less than 1 % to 16.9 %, while herbal cannabis potency ranged from 0.6 % to 17.7 % (the higher figure relating to home-grown herbal cannabis) (see Table PPP-5 part (i)). Data available over 1999–2004 indicate an overall increase in the average potency of cannabis resin in a majority of reporting countries (see ). Over the same period, the potency of herbal cannabis was on the increase in all reporting countries except one (see Figure PPP-2).

Heroin

In 2004, the average retail price of brown heroin was reported to vary between 12 and 141 Euros per gram, while the price of white heroin ranged from 31 to 202 Euros per gram (Table PPP-2 part (i)). Average retail prices of heroin, corrected for inflation (taking 1999 as a base year for the value of money), fell over the period 1999 to 2004 in most reporting countries.

In 2004, the average purity of brown heroin at street level in the EU varied from 10 % to 48 %. Data on purity of white heroin was reported by a few countries only; it ranged on average from 20 % to 63 % (Table PPP-6 part (i)). The average purity of heroin products has been fluctuating in most reporting countries since 1999, making it difficult to identify any overall trend.

Cocaine

In 2004, the average price of cocaine at retail level varied widely across the EU, from 41 to over 100 Euros per gram (Table PPP-3 part (i)). Average retail prices of cocaine, corrected for inflation (taking 1999 as a base year for the value of money), fell over the period 1999 to 2004 in most reporting countries.

Compared with heroin, the average purity of cocaine at consumer level is high, varying in 2004 from 24 % to 80 %, with most countries reporting purities of 40 % to 65 % (Table PPP-7 part (i)). Data available for 1999 to 2004 show an overall decrease in the average purity of cocaine in most reporting countries.

Synthetic drugs

In 2004, average amphetamine prices at consumer level varied between 4 Euros to 64 Euros per gram (Table PPP-4 part (i)).

The average retail purity of amphetamine in 2004 ranged from 5–6 % to 44 % (Table PPP-8 part (i)). Available data on average purity of amphetamine over 1999 to 2004 show overall downward trends in Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Finland and Norway, and upward trends in Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Hungary and Austria.

In 2004, ecstasy tablets were reported to cost, on average, between less than 3 and 16 Euros each.

The average cost to users of an LSD unit in 2004 ranged from 2.5 to 11.6 Euros.

Average retail prices of amphetamine and ecstasy, corrected for inflation (taking 1999 as a base year for the value of money), fell over the period 1999 to 2004 in most reporting countries.