What America's Users
Spend on Illegal Drugs
1988–2000
December 2001

This report provides estimates of illegal drug expenditures and consumption for 1988 through 1999 and projects estimates for 2000. In 2000, Americans spent about $36 billion on cocaine, $10 billion on heroin, $5.4 billion on methamphetamine, $11 billion on marijuana, and $2.4 billion on other substances.

Report Available in PDF Format (549 kb)

Table of Contents

• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS (PDF)
• DISCLAIMER (PDF)
• PUBLIC DOMAIN NOTICE (PDF)
• EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (PDF)
• INTRODUCTION (PDF)
• DISCUSSION AND RESULTS (PDF)
  
  
  • COCAINE AND HEROIN
        The Number of Cocaine and Heroin Users
  • COMPOSITE
        Trends in Drug Use
        Average Amount Spent on Cocaine and Heroin
        Total Expenditures on Cocaine and Heroin
  • HEROIN
        How Varying the Assumptions Affects the Estimates
        Accounting for Income in Kind
        How Much Cocaine and Heroin is Consumed?
  • METHAMPHETAMINE
  • MARIJUANA
        Number of Marijuana Users
        Average Number of Joints Used Each Month
        Average Amount of Marijuana Used
        Price
  • OTHER DRUGS
  • CONCLUSION ABOUT CONSUMPTION
  
  
• SUMMARY AND COMPARISON WITH SUPPLY-BASED ESTIMATES OF AVAILABILITY (PDF)
• APPENDIX (PDF)
• ENDNOTES (PDF)

  

List of Tables

• Table 1 - Total U.S. Expenditures on Illicit Drugs, 1988-2000
  ($ in billions, 2000 dollar equivalents)
• Table 2 - Total Amount of Cocaine and Heroin Consumed, 1988-2000 (in metric tons)
• Table 3 - Estimated Number of Chronic an Occasional Users of Cocaine and Heroin (Thousands), 1988- 2000
• Table 4 - Weekly Average Cocaine and Heroin Expenditures Reported by Arrestee Chronic Users, 1989- 2000
• Table 5 - Total Expenditures on Cocaine and Heroin, 1988-2000
  ($ in billions, 2000 dollar equivalents)
• Table 6 - Retail Prices Per Pure Gram for Cocaine and Heroin, 1988-2000 (dollars, 2000 dollar equivalents)
• Table 7 - Total Amount of Cocaine and Heroin Consumed, 1988-2000 (in metric tons)
• Table 8 - Calculation of Total Methamphetamine Consumption,
  1989-2000
• Table 9 - Calculation of Total Marijuana Consumption, 1988-2000
• Table 10 - Other Drugs: Total Yearly Users (thousands) and Expenditures ($ in billions, 2000 dollar equivalents), 1988-1999
• Table 11 - Total Expenditures on Illicit Drugs, 1989-2000
  ($ in billions, 2000 dollar equivalents)

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Last Updated: June 24, 2002