Friday, October 07, 2005

International Harm Reduction Association

International Harm Reduction Association: "Estimated expenditure on cannabis in Australia is twice that of wine
Three facts about marihuana prices.Clements KW. The Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics. 2004. 48:2; 271-300.
The price of cannabis has declined more than 40% (4.9% p.a.) in real terms during the 1990s, far greater than for most other agricultural products. Cannabis price may be declining because of increasing use of more efficient hydroponic cultivation techniques and also because decreasing law enforcement lowered the 'full cost' of cannabis. The number of national arrests and prosecutions per 100,000 population fell by almost one third between 1996 and 2001. Penalties also became less severe. If cannabis price had been constant, consumption of beer would have been 2.4% higher, wine 4.9% higher, spirits 9.8% higher and cannabis 10.4% lower.
Comment: As the health, social and economic costs of alcohol are greater than for cannabis, decreasing cannabis prices may have reduced harm from legal drugs."