§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates have been made by his Department of the street prices of illegal drugs in each year since 1990–91. [56219]
UK average drug prices 1990–2001 £ Amphetamine1 Herbal cannabis2 Cannabis resin1 Cocaine1 Crack3 Heroin1 Ecstasy4 LSD4 November 1990 13.8 59.3 91.8 87.0 25.4 90.0 18.8 4.2 August 1991 12.8 67.8 84.8 84.6 22.4 89.8 19.6 4.3 December 1992 12.9 63.6 91.8 86.0 26.0 91.0 20.5 4.1 October 1993 12.0 96.5 96.5 80.0 23.0 90.0 17.5 4.0 December 1994 12.0 95.0 100.0 65.0 20.0 75.0 13.0 3.8 July 1995 11.0 95.0 100.0 80.0 20.0 88.0 15.0 4.2 September 1996 10.5 91.0 114.0 69.0 20.0 72.0 12.0 3.0 December 1997 10.0 95.0 97.0 71.0 20.0 74.0 11.0 3.5 December 1998 10.0 91.0 93.0 77.0 20.0 74.0 11.0 3.5 December 1999 10.0 89.0 100.0 63.0 20.0 65.0 11.0 3.9 December 2000 9.0 82.0 85.0 65.0 23.0 70.0 9.0 3.3 December 2001 9.0 80.0 77.0 60.0 21.0 63.0 7.0 3.4 1 Per gram 2 Per ounce 3 Per 'rock', equivalent to 0.2 gram 4 Per dose Note:
1. These prices are based on average purity levels and do not reflect the fluctuations in price which may occur within an area as the result of law enforcement action, other interruption of supply, or even over-supply. Prices may be inflated by 'cutting' drugs, and by selling under measures. Prices increase when smaller amounts such a £10 or £20 deals are sold.
2. Data for the first half of the period are based on fewer observations and may be subject to greater uncertainty.
Sources:
National Co-ordination Unit, Her Majesty's Customs (data from 1990 to 1994), National Criminal Intelligence Service (data from 1995 to 2001).
§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the street price of crack cocaine in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [56533]
§ Mr. Bob Ainsworth[holding answer 21 May 2002]: The National Criminal Intelligence Service collates information on street level prices of drugs. The average prices for 'crack' cocaine during the period 1996–2001 are given in the following table.
I view the availability of crack cocaine with concern. I have established an expert group on the treatment of crack cocaine addiction and I am organising a conference to develop more effective solutions to the problems caused by crack cocaine.
We are also working to ensure that routes into Britain for crack cocaine are shut down as effectively as possible. The total amount of cocaine (including crack) seized in
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§ Mr. Bob Ainsworth[holding answer 21 May 2002]: The average prices for the main illegal drugs during the period 1990–2001 are given in the table.
2000 rose to an all-time record of 3,970 kilograms, an increase of about one metric tonne on the previous year.
United Kingdom average crack cocaine prices 1996–2001 £ Price1 September 1996 20 December 1997 20 December 1998 20 December 1999 20 December 2000 23 December 2001 21 1Per rock, equivalent to 0.2 gram Note:
These prices are based on average purity levels and do not reflect the fluctuations in price that may occur within an area as the result of law enforcement action, other interruption of supply, or even over-supply. In addition to this, prices can be inflated by 'cutting' drugs, and by selling under measures.
Source:
National Criminal Intelligence Service