Teens can go online and order any number of prescription medications and have them shipped in discreet packaging. Despite Silk Road’s shutdown, similar shady websites remain live and accessible to teens. Today’s teenagers have become increasingly tech-savvy, and many understand how to access the dark web and use it to purchase drugs online.
This means that while you may think that purchasing drugs online is an easy way to get your prescription medicine, you could be asking for jail time. The increased access to drugs via numerous vendors is particularly important in the context of COVID-19. First, stay-at-home orders and other restrictions on in-person interactions would likely limit access to the offline drug-dealing networks one has. With online purchases, however, dealers and buyers need not interact face-to-face and postal deliveries would allow the illicit drug trade to operate even under lockdown (Barratt & Aldridge, 2020). Silk Road was the first dark market of its kind, and it’s best known for the buying and selling of illegal drugs online. Silk Road launched in 2011, and although it was shut down by the Federal Bureau of Investigations by 2013, it took less than a month for its successor, Silk Road 2.0, to launch.
Market Adaptations Or Strain Driving Increased Online Purchases?
In recent years, buying drugs online has become increasingly popular, as it offers convenience, privacy, and often lower prices than traditional brick-and-mortar pharmacies. However, it’s essential to be cautious when purchasing medication online, as there are many illegitimate websites that sell counterfeit or dangerous drugs.
Why Buy Drugs Online?
Canadian Prescription Drugs – Generic And Brand Name Products Available
There are several reasons why people choose to buy drugs online:
- The technology behind the dark web was originally created by the US Department of Defense for the purpose of protecting sensitive communications between spies.
- We use a range of methods such as individual and group counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), equine-facilitated psychotherapy and eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR).
- 24% of Americans who have used an online pharmacy have been exposed to harmful, counterfeit, or substandard medication, according to ASOP.
- Convenience: You can order medication from the comfort of your own home, and have it delivered straight to your door.
- Privacy: You don’t have to discuss your medical conditions or medications with a pharmacist or doctor in person.
- Lower prices: Online pharmacies often offer lower prices than traditional pharmacies, due to lower overhead costs.
As alleged, defendant Edison Hernandez was a highly rated vendor of illegal narcotics on Silk Road, AlphaBay, Dream Market and Wall Street Market. From January 2013 until April 2019, Hernandez advertised and sold heroin and cocaine to customers in the United States through these dark web marketplaces. “HSI and our partners will continue to work tirelessly to keep deadly narcotics out of our communities, no matter where they are sold – on the street corner or from the virtual corners of the dark web.” As a precaution, most dealers only use these platforms for advertising and work out the transaction details via Kik, a chatting app; the main difference is not between the various apps but between the two general styles of dealer found on these apps. There are those like Tony who advertise for face-to-face transactions and others who advertise for online transactions. Social media apps offer little information to go by when deciding which hashtag-riddled account of Snoop Dogg memes is going to have the better product.
Talk To Your Teen About Buying Medication Online
How to Buy Drugs Online Safely
To ensure that you’re buying drugs online safely, follow these steps:
- Check for licensing: Make sure that the online pharmacy is licensed and regulated by a reputable organization, such as the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP).
- Look for a physical address: Legitimate online pharmacies will have a physical address and a phone number that you can contact.
- Check the prescription requirements: Make sure that the online pharmacy requires a valid prescription from a licensed healthcare provider.
- Check the medication information: Make sure that the medication information is accurate and up-to-date, and that the medication is approved by the FDA.
- Read reviews: Read reviews from other customers to get an idea of the pharmacy’s reputation and level of customer service.
Dream Market and other sites like it are likely helping fuel the deadly fentanyl crisis that has rippled across the country, says Sgt. Mike Lalande of the Calgary Police Service, who investigates cybercrime. In a recent scan of the site, Dream featured roughly 1,000 listings for drugs that ship within Canada, ranging from opium, morphine and fentanyl to ecstasy, ketamine and date-rape drugs. Dream boasts almost the same number of listings for other products, including items that purport to be designer clothes, counterfeit money and stolen online banking information. “If [there is a risk] my family finds out about my addiction, yeah, I’d probably rather overdose….
This may seem harmless, but when an individual is searching to buy a drug, the platform will deliver more drug-related ads, pages, and hashtags to a user’s feed, further enabling the illicit activity. Even if a user is not actively participating on the platform by searching, liking, or sharing, algorithms use other indications of interest such as time spent hovering over a post. In doing so, social media algorithms have become so efficient at suggesting content to users, even passive ones, that they have created a perfect pathway for digital drug dealers to connect to potential victims in a matter of a few clicks. With the popularity of social media, there is increased access to illegal drugs.
Where to Buy Drugs Online
If you’re looking for a reputable online pharmacy, here are some options to consider:
- PillPack: PillPack is a licensed pharmacy that offers pre-sorted medication packs, delivered straight to your door.
- CVS Health: CVS Health is a well-known pharmacy chain that offers online prescription ordering and delivery.
- Walmart Pharmacy: Walmart Pharmacy offers online prescription ordering and in-store pickup or delivery.
Remember, when buying drugs online, it’s essential to be cautious and do your research to ensure that you’re purchasing from a legitimate and reputable source. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can buy drugs online safely and with confidence.
