When people think of illegal drug abuse, a common image is that of a buyer meeting a drug dealer on the street or in broken down house filled with squatters and addicts. It’s a far cry from how people obtain legally prescribed medications at their local pharmacy or via mail from an online pharmacy.
RX Drug Availability
However, there is also the online drug trade to consider. Individuals using illegal drugs for recreation or to reduce their anxiety or depression can now obtain these substances over the Internet.
Painkillers and other substances are available with just a few clicks of the mouse and some keystrokes.
Accessing Drugs Online
Instead of having to drive to an unfamiliar, crime-ridden area and having to deal with criminals in person, people abusing drugs only need to open a Web browser on their computer to access the online drug trade.
Online Drug Currency
For example, drug dealers and buyers using the online encrypted currency known as Bitcoin had been connecting with one another via an underground website called the Silk Road, which the FBI shut down after seizing it in October 2013.
New black market drug websites have emerged to replace the Silk Road, such as Black Market Reloaded, according to a recent report at Forbes.
The Black Market Reloaded site alone has almost 7,000 products available for sale online, noted Forbes. Drug abusers browse or type in search terms to find the drugs they’re interested in. They pay for these drugs via encrypted currency or even credit cards or services such as PayPal.
Buying Drugs From the Safety of Your Home
What makes the online drug trade particularly disturbing to those trying to help drug abusers is the fact that you can make your purchases from the privacy and comfort of your own home.
Parents may be lulled into a false sense of security if they think their children are staying at home studying, while in fact they are going online to make their next drug connection.
Online Advertising
Local dealers also will go online to advertise their services on sites such as Craigslist, which provides classified ads in communities all across the world.
The Synthetic Drug Trade
In the case of synthetic “designer” drugs that are designed to mimic the effects of drugs that authorities have already banned, abusers can obtain them over the Internet, getting shipments from clandestine drug laboratories located around the world. These drugs are illegal, but manufacturers are constantly altering the recipe to stay one step ahead of the law.
Get the Information You Need
Whether you are an individual using drugs and are now seeking treatment or are a person doing research to help a loved one get the help he or she needs, it’s a good idea to learn as much as possible about drug abuse. You can check our site on a regular basis for the latest information on the drug trade and treatment options for those drugs.