Cocaine ‘delivered faster than pizza’ in the UK
Global Drugs Survey findings put Scotland top for cocaine binging
UK drug users can access cocaine in less time than it takes to have a pizza delivered, according to a new survey of global drug habits.
“Of 1,000 cocaine users in England, and more than 500 in Scotland, more than a third said they could get the drug delivered within half an hour,” Sky News reports, while only 12.2% and 19.8% respectively could say the same about pizza.
The latest Global Drug Survey report says the rise of ‘delivered to your door’ drug drop-offs reflects the increasing surveillance of public places.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“With many cities covered with CCTV cameras, traditional street dealing is becoming less attractive to many suppliers and consumers,” the report says.
The researchers behind the annual survey examined 130,000 responses from people in 44 countries, including around 5,000 from the UK, to compile their latest report.
Other findings in the report include Scotland topping the ranking for cocaine binges, with “the amount of the drug consumed per session... more than double the global average”, the BBC reports.
However, Katy MacLeod of the Scottish Drugs Forum, told the BBC that comparatively low purity could account for the higher volume.
“The low purity of cocaine supplied in Scotland suggests that bulking agents have been used to dilute the drug and so the same weight in Scotland will have less cocaine than in other countries,” she said.
Users in England paid an average of £72 for one gram of cocaine, compared to around £4.70 per gram in cocaine heartland Colombia.
New Zealand and Australia have the most expensive cocaine in the world, due to the logistical difficulties presented by their relatively low population, remote location and absence of land borders.
“Dealing networks will find it hard to justify the set-up costs to support effective scale importation,” Professor Adam Winstock, the founder of the survey, told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
5 sleeper hit cartoons about Trump's struggles to stay awake in court
Cartoons Artists take on courtroom tranquility, war on wokeness, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The true story of Feud: Capote vs. The Swans
In depth The writer's fall from grace with his high-flying socialite friends in 1960s Manhattan is captured in a new Disney+ series
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
Scottie Scheffler: victory for the 'pre-eminent golfer of this era'
Why Everyone's Talking About Masters victory is Scheffler's second in three years
By The Week Staff Published
-
AI puts fortune tellers out of business
feature And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
4 Americans kidnapped in Mexico by armed gunmen, 2 killed, FBI says
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Amsterdam bans cannabis smoking outside in red light district
Speed Read City council is introducing new rules to improve the quality of life for locals
By Sorcha Bradley Published
-
Magic mushroom church sues local police
feature And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
Magic mushrooms offered at Harley St clinic
feature And other stories from the stranger side of life
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Seeing stars, prescribing comedy and decriminalising drugs
podcast What will the James Webb Telescope accomplish? Why is the NHS sending people to comedy courses? And are drugs laws about to change in the British capital?
By The Week Staff Published
-
‘France wouldn’t be France without strikes, protests and police baton charges’
Instant Opinion Your digest of analysis and commentary from the British and international press
By The best columns Published
-
Why codeine deaths have reached a record high
feature Rise of the ‘dark web’ and demography of addicts may explain surge
By The Week Staff Published