Heroin use rises as price plummets from R215 to R123 over past 16 years

John Maytham interviews Jesse Copelyn, Spotlight Journalist.

Listen below.

Over the past two decades, the street price of heroin in South Africa has plummeted, resulting in a surge of affordable heroin markets nationwide.

According to Copelyn, this surge is primarily attributed to the increased supply.

In 2004, the price for a gram of heroin in Cape Town was approximately R215. By 2020, that figure had dropped to an average of just R123.

When adjusting for inflation, this means the real cost of heroin is now about a quarter of what it was in 2004.

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This significant decrease in price has coincided with a notable rise in heroin consumption during the same timeframe.

Copelyn notes that in 2006, 5.5% of individuals nationwide were seeking rehabilitation for heroin addiction.

By 2023, this percentage has roughly tripled.

"The volume of heroin that gets seized by the police each year has increased a lot."

- Jesse Copelyn, Spotlight Journalist

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.