ssay will critically evaluate how increased risk and increase price of the illicit drug and whether the price increases is harmful to consumers. Increased risk in this contest can be defined, as policies adopted by the authority to curtail the flow, cultivation and distribution of illicit drug or crops from which these drugs are derived.

The risk associated with illicit drug trade could be policies adopted by the authority to stop or curtail the supply chain of illicit drugs. These policies could be curtailment, police surveillance, international border post control and seizures. The price and risk model proposed by Peter Ruth and Mark Klienman, looked at the supply side of the drug market, which shows that when there is the high risk of control, it will affect the availability of drug and pricing. When the drug price is low, the availability of drug is high and these results to increased consumption. Increasing drug enforcement usually contributes to the level of drug demands, as when an addict or drug dealer is apprehended there is more added risk of such person be arrested or punished for drug handling and this will definitely discourage consumers. Secondly if the price increases as a result of the punitive measures to limit the flow of drugs the amount of illicit consumption will drop. This theory worked well in the case of Marijuana, when the price of marijuana rose constantly from 1974 to 1984, although it rises eight times in potency (THC content). In contrast to the 1984-1989 drug war, the price went up sharply with little changes

However, when the risk of obtaining illicit drug is high, the supply chain will be low, increasing the price of the drug and this leads to the lower availability of the drug, therefore, lowering consumption.

The price of illicit drugs is not regulated by the authority or enforceable through the legal system rather, the price is determined by the traffickers who are willing to continue and encourage the production of the crop (opium). If the Law enforcement agent intervenes by destroying the illicit crops farm, the producers will have to relocate to different location to continue production and change their mode of operation which may either be changes in concealment and tactics aimed at reducing risk irrespective of the challenges; as the cost of production is far lower than the product itself. Despite the risks associated with the production of illicit drugs, the traffickers will pay the farmers to move to another location to continue their farming as the farmers has no alternative means of livelihood; however the profit margin of the drug will drop, but will not affect the dealers as they will still be able to get their supply. The only result of that effect is that it will create scarcity, leading to a price increase. The price elasticity of illicit