What do you pay for drugs in Belgium?

The price of drugs hasn't increased at all for years according to research undertaken by Ghent Polytechnic. While many consumer goods have shot up in price in recent years, drugs remain relatively cheap researchers say.
McPHOTO / INSADCO / Bilderbox

Tina Van Havere: "The price of a gram of cocaine has been 50 euros for years now and an XTC pill will set you back 4 to 6 euros."

The Ghent researcher has been taking part in an international study into drugs use: ‘The Global Drug Survey’. Tina Van Havere: "That prices are so low in Belgium has to do with the presence of the port of Antwerp. Many drugs enter the country via our ports and are then transported across the globe."

While a gram of cocaine costs 50 euros in Belgium in Australia the price is apparently 200 euros. XTC prices abroad can be ten times that in Belgium. Cannabis will set you back 5 euros for a joint. Scientists say that the extremely low prices in Belgium mean that loads of youngsters are experimenting with drugs. The price of an XTC pill is often cheaper than an alcoholic cocktail.

Lawyer Tanja Smit, who is often involved in drugs cases, concedes that the low prices mean that there are few obstacles to accessing drugs with all the consequences this has.

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