Social Policy

ESTIMATED SPENDING ON ILLEGAL DRUGS

A White House report being released today contends illegal drug consumers in the U.S. spent $200 million less to support their habits in 1995 than they did the previous year.

  • The total spent amounted to $57.3 billion in 1995, according to the official estimates.

  • This was sharply lower than the estimated $91.4 billion spent in 1988 -- the first year figures were compiled by the Office of National Drug Control Policy

  • In 1995, drug users spent $38 billion on cocaine, $10 billion on heroin and $7 billion on marijuana, according to the estimates.

Since 1988, spending on cocaine and heroin appears to have fallen, while spending on marijuana fluctuated with its black market price.

Source: AP, "Illegal Drugs Brought $57 Billion in 1995," New York Times, November 10, 1997.


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