- 09:44
Cocaine prices are falling, but the risks are rising. In Lebanon, as elsewhere, a gram has never been cheaper. It may seem like a “good deal,” but behind the low price lies a harsh reality: regulated use, a growing number of addicts and mounting health risks.
Cocaine, or “coke” to regular users, is circulating more freely than ever. Record production in Latin America and a collapse in global prices have made the white powder widely available. Even in Lebanon, where it has entered bars and nightlife, a gram can cost less than a meal at an average restaurant. But beneath this apparent accessibility is a silent health crisis.
A Global Market Driven by Supply
According to South Shore Recovery, an addiction treatment center in Massachusetts, the average price of a gram of cocaine ranges from $60 to $200, while wholesale prices reach $28,000 to $70,000 per kilogram. In Australia, the price per kilo has dropped from $450,000 to around $130,000, the Daily Telegraph reports.
Global production is surging, led by Colombia, which produces over 3,000 tons per year, breaking all previous records, according to the Wall Street Journal. The result: cocaine has never been more abundant or more affordable.
The Situation in Lebanon
There are no official figures, but Lebanon remains a major transit point. From Beirut to Tripoli, distribution networks are multiplying, and accessibility mirrors the global trend, with prices ranging from $60 to $200 per gram according to multiple sources.
In the nightlife scene, cocaine is now openly visible. “You can buy it like you order a drink,” says a regular at one of Beirut’s trendy bars. Some servers or intermediaries discreetly offer packets to regular customers.
An official from an addiction-focused NGO warns, “The normalization is complete. We are no longer talking about a marginal product. Cocaine is now fully integrated into parties. This exposes the youngest and most vulnerable.”
When the Party Turns into a Trap
Falling prices are drawing in new users. According to the United Nations, demand is rising in Europe and the Americas. In Lebanon, it is difficult to know the exact number of users, but rehabilitation centers report a surge in cocaine-related admissions. “We are seeing more and more young people aged 18 to 25,” says a psychologist at an NGO. “They say the first line was shared among friends in a bar, sometimes without even paying.”
Cheaper, more accessible and increasingly normalized, cocaine is becoming an everyday drug in the public imagination. But behind this perception lies a serious health crisis. Addiction, overdoses and social isolation are all rising sharply. International data confirms the trend: cocaine-related deaths increase every year.
What might seem like a bargain for the wallet is in fact bad news for public health. While prices fall, the human cost continues to climb.
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