A shortage of illicit drugs is imminent due to the coronavirus lockdown
... and the consequences could be deadly
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
We’ve already witnessed the havoc of coronavirus as panic-buying compromises supply and distribution of food and some medicines. The illicit drug market is not immune to coronavirus either. We are a net importer of drugs like cocaine and heroin, so when borders are shut moving drugs becomes more difficult. People don’t behave rationally, whether it’s about the supply of toilet roll or cocaine. When one drug is in short supply, another takes its place. If, for example, heroin is substituted with fentanyl – fifty times more potent – the potential for overdose is clear. If ever there was a time to introduce drug consumption rooms, it is now. (See also: Impact of Covid-19 on drugs trade likely to hit recreational cocaine users most | How coronavirus is changing the market for illegal drugs)