- Bloomberg’s “Vice Index” tracks the price of recreational drugs around the world. In the US, street drug prices are up 40%.
Each year, Bloomberg looks at the price of recreational drugs to see how they have risen in price. Bloomberg’s “Vice Index” is a basket made up of opioids, cocaine, cannabis and amphetamine-type stimulants (ie. ecstasy and meth).
In 2019, recreational drug prices are up around the world. Americans would need to pay $846, the third-highest price in the world. This is up more than 40% from 2018 and is behind only Australia and New Zealand, which were $1,263 and $1,075 respectively.
Transportation costs and annual earnings are likely the top reasons for added costs. Latin America, Middle East and Africa, where parts of the drugs used for the basket are made, were the cheapest regions.
Article by: Francisco Cortez – Delgado
I graduated from Queen’s University with a Master’s of Political Studies. The intertwined world of politics and economics intrigue me. My favourite stories to cover are the ones that show how a few selected officials can impact nationwide macro-economic policies. I also follow the broader markets and FOREX.