To prevent withdrawal and avoid the high prices of black market prescription drugs, many people addicted to prescription opioids turned to heroin, which could be bought for \$5 a dose or less.

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As a direct consequence of stricter prescription controls, a black market for opioid medications emerged. This illicit market was characterized by extremely high prices, with a single pill of a drug like OxyContin costing \$80 or more.

Emergence of a Black Market for Prescription Opioids

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Faced with the inability to get legal prescriptions and the prohibitive cost of opioids on the black market, many individuals addicted to prescription painkillers turned to heroin. Heroin offered a much cheaper alternative, costing as little as \$5 per dose, which allowed users to manage their withdrawal symptoms.

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