The Global Drug Survey 2015 findings

What did we learn from GDS2015?

An overview of the key findings:

Dr Adam R Winstock, Founder Director GDS

Well first just how generous were people with their time?

The global drug survey estimates that over the duration of the study (Nov-Dec 2014) over 100,000 people spent in excess of:

• 4 million minutes, or
• 67,000 hours, or
• 2800 days, or
• 400 weeks, or
• 7.5 years sharing their drug use experiences with us.

So a HUGE thanks to you all. GDS does not exist without you.

They also want to acknowledge the unbelievable help that all our partners and the academic network and harm reduction groups around world provide with revising and translating the survey then working so closely with all our media partners. In particular, they want to acknowledge the vital role that Dr Jason Ferris, our chief biostats man, has provided with the analysis and production of reports. Thanks mate.

Well working our way from the more common to less commonly used drugs these are some of interesting things that were found out:

Cocaine

Cocaine remains the world most expensive drug per gram in the world (cannabis seeds are the most expensive though not strictly a drug of course). Most users (80%) use less than 10 times in the last 12 months in most countries at a mean price of 70 euros, he average of consumed dose of 1/2gm seems to be an example of harm reduction by price (minimum pricing in the UK). NZ and Australia remain the priciest place to buy cocaine in the world – why – because their border control is great and the size of the markets they offer to cartels is small. The presence of crystal meth also helps (or not, since it is a drug with whole loads more problems for users in most cases). Certainly cocaine markets have responded to the possibility of competition and low satisfaction with their product with a global two-tier market both at ounce/kilo level and street dealing gram levels. The graph below shows prices in EUROS. And before you think of going to Brazil for cocaine don’t, but you have to wait till they come out with their findings later this month to find out why.

AVERAGE PRICES OF COCAINE IN EUROS

Click here to read the full article.

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