Historically low drug prices on the street | Sweden

2023 was marked by bloody gang wars, the origins of which are precisely about control over the drug trade. At the same time, the authorities made relatively large seizures. In addition, the krone was weak, which usually means that everything imported becomes more expensive.

– All those are factors that you think should have influenced prices upwards, but they haven’t, says Ulf Guttormsson, head of department at the Central Association for Alcohol and Narcotics Information (CAN), who wrote the report.

Why the prices remain the same can only be speculated about, notes the report author. For example, there is no indication that the availability of drugs has increased or that demand has decreased.

– One possible explanation is that those who handle narcotics are temporarily prepared to have lower profit margins. Hoping to make better profit in the future. It may be an effect of increased competition. If a network is knocked out or weakened, there are more who are ready to take over, says Ulf Guttormsson.

No pandemic effect

In any case, it can be stated that the drug market is resilient. This was not least evident during the pandemic, when private travel almost completely ceased, but the price levels still persisted.

The Swedish drug prices follow the prices in the rest of Western Europe, explains Guttormsson. Around 2019, for example, the price of hashish rose in Sweden after a major effort in Spain and the production country Morocco.

One such exception now could be that opioid drugs such as tramadol became slightly more expensive last year. A possible effect of the fact that the Taliban in Afghanistan have banned the cultivation of poppies, the raw material for heroin.

– Many believe that heroin will disappear more and more. Fewer seizures are made and fewer heroin prices are reported now. We are already seeing signs that the stores that existed before the Taliban regime took over have begun to ebb, says Ulf Guttormsson.

Historically cheap

In a historical perspective, Swedish drug prices are very low. Adjusted for inflation, amphetamine and heroin today cost a quarter of what they cost in 1988 when CAN began measuring. The price of cocaine has roughly halved.

– As I said, it is largely explained by the world market. But at the same time, prices could be even lower and availability even greater if the authorities had not done anything, says Ulf Guttormsson.