THE costliest place in the world to get high is Japan, according to the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime’s annual World Drug Report.

The street price of a gram of cannabis weed was $58.30 in 2005, over twice as much as in the next most expensive nation, Australia. Americans pay nearly twice as much as Canadians.

Similar disparities occur in Europe. Although the Netherlands is the only Western country where cannabis can be bought legally, punters pay more there than in Germany or France. Prices are cheapest in developing countries, where enforcement is less strict.

Taken from Economist.com (dated 12 September 2007)