Meanwhile - in the U.K.

I guess it's a sign of the times.
The more governments tax the legal stuff, the more prolific illegal and black market stuff becomes. Duh!...

James Kirkup reports in the U.K. Telegraph:

"According to DrugScope, a charity that provides research and advice on drugs policy, a gram of cocaine can make between 10 and 20 lines for snorting, depending on its strength.

That means a line of cocaine can cost as little as £1, with an average price per line of between £2 and £4.

The average price of a pint of lager is around £2.75, although some pub chains have reacted to the credit crunch by cutting the price of a pint as low as 99p. A glass of wine typically costs £3.50."