Illicit narcotics like cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine make up a large portion of modern contraband goods. Because these goods are smuggled, the iron law of prohibition applies, and smugglers have an incentive to increase the purity of these drugs (Cowan 26). As purity increases, potential negative side effects for users and society increase. Cocaine and heroin have been shown to have significant negative effects on society, as addicts are generally unproductive, often homeless, and frequently commit crimes to facilitate their use. Their unproductivity harms society because the government has invested heavily in the human capital of these individuals through schools and public services. These individuals are not productive enough for the government to recoup their investment. Many drug addicts find themselves homeless. Once homeless, it becomes easier for them to become seriously ill, and many of them do not have health insurance. Addicts are then forced to use emergency rooms, and these costs are passed on to the general public (Bourgois 298). Most drug addicts do not earn enough to finance their addiction and therefore must commit petty crimes to pay for their drugs (Bourgois 174). This harms people who live near drug addicts because it lowers their property values ​​and erodes the level of trust in a