The thought of illegal drug sales evokes images of deals done on shady street corners. But a new study from Case Western Reserve University exposes a critical but underreported element of the illegal drug market: so-called “peer-brokered” sales. Peer-brokered sales, in which people buy drugs for others within their social circles and take a cut–either as a share of the drugs or money by inflating the price–play a widespread and vital role in the distribution of illegal substances, according to the new study.
