Morphine is a non-synthetic opioid used to treat severe pain. Physicians may prescribe this opioid medication to patients experiencing moderate to severe chronic pain.
The drug is typically administered to patients orally or intravenously (morphine sulfate). It is sold under various brand names such as MSiR, MS-Contin, Roxanol, and RMS.
Though morphine is helpful to people following major surgery or injury, people with cancer, and people receiving end-of-life care, it’s often sold illegally on the black market.
In addition to pain relief, morphine produces intense feelings of euphoria and sedation, which is why it’s considered highly addictive.
People experiencing morphine addiction can begin recovery at an inpatient or outpatient drug rehab center.
How Much Morphine Costs On The Street
Dosage | Price |
---|---|
1 mg | 6 -7 cents |
On the street, morphine can sell for up to $15 per pill, which is over 30 times its retail price. The high street value of this prescription drug proves lucrative for drug dealers.
Street Value Of Morphine Vs. Other Prescription Opioids
There are several other prescription drugs sold on the street that are similar to morphine. These drugs include tramadol, oxycodone, Vicodin, Percocet, and OxyContin.
These drugs belong to a class of substances known as opioid analgesics, which are primarily used for the treatment of pain.
Tramadol
Tramadol is a synthetic opioid painkiller that is one-tenth (10%) the strength of morphine. It is sold in 50 mg and 100 mg pills for $1 to $10 on the street.
The effects of tramadol are comparable to that of codeine.
Oxycodone
Oxycodone is a fast-acting, semi-synthetic opioid painkiller. It’s an immediate-relief formula that offers pain-relieving effects for four to six hours.
Morphine is 1.5 times stronger than oxycodone, which sells for approximately $1 per milligram and is available in 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg, 60 mg, and 80 mg tablets.
Vicodin
Vicodin is a semi-synthetic opioid painkiller that contains hydrocodone and acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol. It is used to treat moderate to severe pain and as a cough suppressant.
Vicodin is two-thirds the strength of morphine and its effects last four to five hours. It is available in 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, and 10 mg tablets and sells for $8 to $18 per pill on the street.
Percocet
Percocet is the combined formulation of oxycodone and acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol. It contains 5 milligrams of oxycodone and provides pain relief for up to five hours.
Percocet is slightly stronger than morphine. It is available in 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, and 10 mg tablets and sells for $2 to $10 per pill.
OxyContin
OxyContin is a semi-synthetic opioid painkiller. It is the extended-relief version of oxycodone (which is immediate-release), meaning that it slowly distributes throughout the body over the course of 12 hours.
OxyContin is 50% stronger than morphine. It sells for approximately $1 or more per milligram on the street and is made in 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg, and 80 mg tablets.
In some places, depending on availability, the drug is known to cost up to $50 per 30 mg pill.
Factors That Affect The Street Price Of Morphine
Street price data for morphine is determined by several factors, primarily the quantity of the drug, the purity level, and the location of the sale.
Quantity Of The Drug
It goes without saying that higher quantities of morphine will sell for higher rates than smaller quantities. It’s also possible that buying morphine in bulk can lower the cost overall.
While one 15 mg morphine pill may cost up to $15, the average street price can range from $10 to $80 depending on its form, i.e., liquid, tablet, or powder.
Purity Level
Purity is a major concern when it comes to illicit drugs and drug abuse because the use of cutting agents is common and presents serious health risks.
Morphine can be cut with other substances like fentanyl, lidocaine, baby powder, and caffeine. Fentanyl poses a serious risk of overdose, which can be fatal.
The higher the purity of the morphine, the higher the cost. A higher purity level suggests a more potent high.
Location Of Sale
The location where illicit drugs are bought and sold also influences the price.
If you purchase a 15 mg morphine pill in a large city, like New York or Los Angeles, you can expect to pay anywhere from $5 to $10.
However, the same pill can sell for anywhere from $20 to $40 when purchased in a rural area like the Midwest.
People may commute to larger cities to support their drug addiction. Drugs are typically available for more competitive prices in larger cities.
Risks Of Morphine Addiction
Although morphine is among the lowest potency opioids, it is still an opioid and carries a high risk of addiction.
Opioid medications bind to opioid receptors in the brain, producing a pain-blocking effect and releasing high amounts of dopamine, the chemical that affects the brain’s reward center.
Because of its interaction with the brain and the feel-good sensation it produces, morphine use poses the risk of addiction.
People can also develop a tolerance for the drug, requiring higher doses to feel the same initial effects.
Escalating Addiction
If people use morphine for a long period of time, they will likely develop tolerance to the drug and may move on to higher-potency, more widely available opioids, like heroin or fentanyl.
Increased Risk Of Overdose
Drug dealers may cut morphine with fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that’s 100 times more powerful than morphine, to enhance the drug’s effects and increase their sales.
A single salt grain-size of fentanyl can prove fatal in people who have not developed a tolerance to opioids.
Treatment Options For Morphine Addiction
Recovery can feel like a far-distant idea for people in the grips of morphine addiction. Fortunately, there are many treatment options available for people looking to recover.
Medical detox, inpatient treatment, outpatient rehab programs, sober living, and support groups can be found across the U.S.
It’s possible for people without health insurance to receive addiction treatment through community support, non-profit programs, and state-funded rehab centers.
There is also medication-assisted treatment (MAT), which uses buprenorphine or methadone and behavioral therapy to help people achieve and sustain recovery from opioid abuse.
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Article Sources- Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) – Opioid Data Analysis And Resources
https://www.cdc.gov/opioids/data/analysis-resources.html - Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Drug Fact Sheet: Morphine
https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/Morphine-2020.pdf - MedlinePlus.gov – Oxycodone
https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682132.html