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If the global supply of heroin fell 75% the price would have increased dramatically, reducing use.

spitfire 10y ago
Are you sure about that? I'm not sure heroin addiction has much price elasticity...
vertex-four 10y ago
If the global supply of heroin fell 75% the price would have increased dramatically, increasing crime by drug users and keeping demand around the same level. Nobody says "I love heroin, but I'm going to stop because it's too expensive".
- DelaneyM 10y ago
  You'd be surprised. Narcotics are remarkably fungible, much to the disappointment of drug enforcement agencies and social workers. I spend a few hours a week at a transitional house for folks who've been down on their luck (homeless or no fixed address) and are trying to get into the support system. Most are dealing with addiction. When you ask what they're taking, they often have a long equation of how much they take of X when they can't get Y, and how much of Z takes the edge off Y when their dealer is unavailable or they can't afford it, etc. Many have managed to get into a long cycle of a number of different substances, each being a transitional drug off the last. Since this is a behavior pattern they're used to, we're getting a lot of mileage using (now legal) marijuana as a bridge to sobriety whey they're not willing to submit to detox. I'm 100% confident that if heroin doubled in price tomorrow usage would drop through the floor, but unfortunately addiction would be pretty stable.
refurb 10y ago
Considering the price of heroin has been pretty steady since the early 2000's I'm questioning the 75% of the supply number. Then again, maybe other countries made up for it?
- twunde 10y ago
  From what I understand, the price of heroin has dropped dramatically, to the point where I remember a news story saying It was cheaper than weed. In the US, there is definitely a heroin epidemic, with a lot of use and attention in New England.

Are you sure about that? I'm not sure heroin addiction has much price elasticity...

If the global supply of heroin fell 75% the price would have increased dramatically, increasing crime by drug users and keeping demand around the same level. Nobody says "I love heroin, but I'm going to stop because it's too expensive".

DelaneyM 10y ago
You'd be surprised. Narcotics are remarkably fungible, much to the disappointment of drug enforcement agencies and social workers. I spend a few hours a week at a transitional house for folks who've been down on their luck (homeless or no fixed address) and are trying to get into the support system. Most are dealing with addiction. When you ask what they're taking, they often have a long equation of how much they take of X when they can't get Y, and how much of Z takes the edge off Y when their dealer is unavailable or they can't afford it, etc. Many have managed to get into a long cycle of a number of different substances, each being a transitional drug off the last. Since this is a behavior pattern they're used to, we're getting a lot of mileage using (now legal) marijuana as a bridge to sobriety whey they're not willing to submit to detox. I'm 100% confident that if heroin doubled in price tomorrow usage would drop through the floor, but unfortunately addiction would be pretty stable.

refurb 10y ago

Considering the price of heroin has been pretty steady since the early 2000's I'm questioning the 75% of the supply number. Then again, maybe other countries made up for it?

twunde 10y ago
From what I understand, the price of heroin has dropped dramatically, to the point where I remember a news story saying It was cheaper than weed. In the US, there is definitely a heroin epidemic, with a lot of use and attention in New England.