Regional Variations in Cannabis Prices

Overall, if a consumer bought a "shopping basket" of all varieties of cannabis, it would have been cheapest in the South West of England, and most expensive in the Midlands, although individual price differences were marginal. The difference was greatest for imported herbal varieties, and smallest for Moroccan "Soap".

Cannabis Resin

The mean ("average") regional price of cannabis resin was reported to be lowest in the South West of England, and highest in Scotland, for all varieties and quantities - except 1/8oz of "other/unknown" resin, which was lowest in Scotland and highest in the North East. That position was reversed for 1oz prices. This was probably because of some exotic "other" brands among the more common "unknown" types. Future surveys will separate the two.

Herbal Cannabis

All forms of imported herbal cannabis were least expensive in the South West. African bush was most expensive in Scotland, Thai and American/ Caribbean most expensive in the Midlands. "Other/unknown" bush varied very widely, cheapest in Wales and dearest in East Anglia.

Home grown, when sold by 1/8oz, was cheapest by far in Scotland, and most expensive in London. Ounce prices appeared to have had little connection with 1/8 prices, being cheapest in Yorkshire/ Humberside and the North East, and dearest in the South East - the difference was up to £42.50 per ounce. This may reflect different proportions grown for personal use, or more given away, rather than such a large cash price difference; there would also be variations according to the quality of the homegrown.

"Skunk" appears to have been much cheaper in Scotland than elsewhere, at £16.50 per 1/8oz, and most expensive in the Midlands at £22.29. The cheapest mean ounce price was from Wales, for other quantities Scotland was cheaper. Ounce and 250g prices seem only loosely linked to 1/8oz prices, possibly because home cultivation of smaller amounts resulted in low or £0 prices. (Tables 14 -15).

Prices from "other" regions are not considered in detail here, as they vary very widely, including quotes from Ireland, Europe, the rest of the world, and forms where the region was not stated. Full details of regional variations for each variety of cannabis are given in the Supplementary Tables.