Sterling Terrell

smart ideas from books

  • Home
  • About
    • Work With Me
    • My CV
    • Tools
    • Books
    • Series
  • Newsletter
  • Advertising
You are here: Home / Potpourri / How Drugs Are Like Art

How Drugs Are Like Art

How Drugs Are Like Art

“How drugs are like art?”

Well that’s just a provocative headline if I ever saw one.

Turns out, it’s true though – stay with be now.

The main reason is based on the fact that most markets for illegal drugs are a monopsony.

Said different, the illegal drug market, from farmer to local cartel, has only one buyer of the raw supply.

Since local farmers, simply looking to plant the most valuable crop, have only the local cartel to sell their raw product to, any large changes in supply, and therefore price, are pushed back on the farmer.

Because of this supply chain, changes in supply have very little impact on street prices.

It’s kind of like paint:

“Governments are approaching the cocaine market as if it were the chocolate market, in which a rise in the price of cocoa beans leads to a corresponding rise in the price of chocolate bars. In reality, it is more like the art market, in which the tiny cost of the raw materials is insignificant compared with the high price of the finished product. Attempts to raise the price of cocaine by forcing up the cost of coca leaves is a bit like trying to drive up the price of art by raising the cost of paint.”

–Tom Wainwright, How To Run A Drug Cartel

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: PotpourriTagged With: #Art, #Drugs

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Privacy Policy

Connect

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Free Weekly Newsletter:

Search

Recent Posts

  • The Week In Review – 249
  • Maybe Stop Asking Your Kids “Did You Have Fun Today?”
  • Random Thoughts – 273
  • The Bittersweet Road Of Parenting
  • Instabooks 343
  • Waiting For That Long Black Train
  • Parenting Disposition: Improved
  • If You Want To Be A Writer Then…
  • Goes On In It’s Frozen Way
  • Protect Children From Disappointment?
  • Because You Did The Work
  • Fluffed Up Over Your Ears And
  • Dependent On Us Is Not The Parenting Goal
  • Snow Day 2021
  • They Force You To Be Precise
  • The Week In Review – 248
  • Explore The Answer For Themselves
  • Random Thoughts – 272
  • Falling Now A Shot Of Breath
  • Are You Asking Your Children Too Many Questions?
  • Of Children To Have Is Three
  • The Simple Joy Of Elevator Buttons
  • Respect The Struggle Of Your Kids
  • And Most Everything That Weighs
  • The Power Of Words

Copyright © 2021 · Generate Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in