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85% of Dollars in US Cities Test Positive for Cocaine

95% of DC bills test positive

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 18, 2009 2:23 AM CDT
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(Newser) – The US money supply is literally soaked in cocaine, the Guardian reports.Tests performed by the American Chemical Society found that an average of 85% of paper money circulating in big US cities tests positive for traces of the drug. While cross-contamination between bills bundled together is a factor, it cannot explain the increasing abundance of the drug on dollar bills. Tests performed only two years ago found that 67% of bills tested positive for cocaine.

"It could be related to the economic downturn, with stressed people turning to cocaine," one of the researchers told the New York Daily News. Of US cities, Washington DC had the highest occurrence of cocaine residue, with 95% of its bills testing positive. The researchers note that $1 and $100 are rarely used for cocaine consumption—$5, $10, $20 and $50 bills are America’s preferred snorting tools.

Up to 90% of money in US cities has cocaine residue on it, the American Chemical Society found.
Up to 90% of money in US cities has cocaine residue on it, the American Chemical Society found.   (Shutterstock)
Packages of seized cocaine are displayed to the press at the national police headquarters in Panama City earlier this month.
Packages of seized cocaine are displayed to the press at the national police headquarters in Panama City earlier this month.   (AP Photo/Tito Herrera)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 8 comments
cognitivefilter
Aug 20, 2009 3:42 AM CDT
hahaha. how does a dwindling economy push people to use cocaine? that is one of the most expensive drugs out there.
Derni
Aug 18, 2009 11:57 AM CDT
Probably testing bills from police departments-money that was takend during drug raids!
dolcevita
Aug 18, 2009 11:40 AM CDT
have the bills been tested for boogers, too?

 
drugs • cocaine • money • contamination • US dollar • five dollar bill

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