--- title: Trump Drugs Are Cheap as Candy Internet Reactions description: Twitter can't get enough of Donald Trump's assertion in a news conference that drugs are becoming cheaper than candy bars. canonical: https://time.com/4673878/trump-drugs-cheaper-than-candy/ author: Raisa Bruner article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-02-16T20:25:07.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:41:12.810Z og:title: The Internet Went Nuts When Trump Compared Drugs to Candy Bars og:description: The internet can't stop laughing about it og:url: https://time.com/4673878/trump-drugs-cheaper-than-candy/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt11dbb9d521a85014/6988babaf887dcdba4e991b8/donald-trump21.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: President Trump Holds News Conference In East Room Of White House og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The Internet Went Nuts When Trump Compared Drugs to Candy Bars twitter:description: The internet can't stop laughing about it twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt11dbb9d521a85014/6988babaf887dcdba4e991b8/donald-trump21.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The Internet Went Nuts When Trump Said 'Drugs Are Becoming Cheaper Than Candy Bars' > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME The Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition The Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors. The Brief brings TIME's perspective to the day's most important stories, helping readers understand not just what is happening, but why it matters. It combines original reporting and analysis with the best of TIME, spanning politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=f408b5e6-7001-4715-8e74-fe23da57010a&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Daily | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Richard Hall, Editor | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership The informed consumer. A scaled audience of readers who turn to TIME to stay informed and make sense of the world, with meaningful reach across education and research, nonprofits and civic life, media and communications, government and public institutions, and business and professional services. ### TIME The Brief: key statements * The Brief is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * The Brief is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=f408b5e6-7001-4715-8e74-fe23da57010a&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/subscribe?i=f408b5e6-7001-4715-8e74-fe23da57010a&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is TIME's daily news newsletter? The Brief is TIME's daily newsletter, edited by Richard Hall. It curates the day's top headlines with TIME's reporting and analysis across politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is free to join at time.com/newsletters. #### How do I sign up for The Brief? The Brief is available free at time.com/newsletters, where readers can select it along with any of TIME's other six newsletters. There is no subscription required to receive it. #### Is The Brief free? Yes. The Brief is a free daily email newsletter from TIME. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes The Brief? The Brief is led by editor Richard Hall and draws on reporting from TIME's newsroom. Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically.  by [Raisa Bruner](https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Feb 16, 2017 8:25 PM UTC  President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference announcing Alexander Acosta as the new Labor Secretary nominee in the East Room at the White House on Feb. 16, 2017. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference announcing Alexander Acosta as the new Labor Secretary nominee in the East Room at the White House on Feb. 16, 2017. Mark Wilson—Getty Images  by [Raisa Bruner](https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Feb 16, 2017 8:25 PM UTC In [a press conference Thursday](http://time.com/4673707/donald-trump-press-conference-news-media/?xid=homepage), President Donald Trump touched on the important matter of narcotics use in the U.S., calling America a “drug-infested nation.” “We’ve ordered the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice to coordinate on a plan to destroy criminal cartels coming into the United States with drugs. We’re becoming a drug-infested nation. Drugs are becoming cheaper than candy bars,” he said to illustrate his point. This is not the first time Trump has used candy to make a statement this week, previously [comparing intelligence leaks to candy](http://time.com/4671700/trump-candy-internet-reactions/). And it’s also not the first time that Twitter has had a field day with his particular choice of words as it tends to do with these things, collectively scratching its head over this comparison. He may have been exaggerating as [RehabCenter network](http://www.rehabcenter.net/the-average-cost-of-illegal-drugs-on-the-street/) points out, the average cost of marijuana is actually $15 per gram, heroin is $15-20 per dose, and cocaine and methamphetamines are over $80 per gram. A Snickers, meanwhile, will run you [$0.89 at Target.](http://www.target.com/p/snickers-candy-bar-2-07-oz/-/A-13055565) > [](https://twitter.com/YourRapsHere/status/832317446413549569) > [](https://twitter.com/stpete2you/status/832292539218685952) > [](https://twitter.com/BenjaminJS/status/832292854730940416) > [](https://twitter.com/DPTomDavidson/status/832291314079301636) > [](https://twitter.com/Trxppybasshead/status/832316601680687104) > [](https://twitter.com/chalkboardsband/status/832316391172747265) > [](https://twitter.com/LeighNYC%5FLaura/status/832316286747209728) > [](https://twitter.com/nasty%5Fcanasta/status/832316046237327360) > [](https://twitter.com/cozyhalf/status/832316981302980613) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4673878/trump-drugs-cheaper-than-candy/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4673878/trump-drugs-cheaper-than-candy/"},"headline":"The Internet Went Nuts When Trump Said 'Drugs Are Becoming Cheaper Than Candy Bars'","datePublished":"2017-02-16T20:25:07.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:41:12.810Z","description":"Twitter can't get enough of Donald Trump's assertion in a news conference that drugs are becoming cheaper than candy bars.","url":"https://time.com/4673878/trump-drugs-cheaper-than-candy/","keywords":["Newsfeed","viral","Donald Trump"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt11dbb9d521a85014/6988babaf887dcdba4e991b8/donald-trump21.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Raisa Bruner","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt11dbb9d521a85014/6988babaf887dcdba4e991b8/donald-trump21.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"President Trump Holds News Conference In East Room Of White House","caption":"President Trump Holds News Conference In East Room Of White House","creditText":"Mark Wilson—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4673878/trump-drugs-cheaper-than-candy/","name":"The Internet Went Nuts When Trump Said 'Drugs Are Becoming Cheaper Than Candy Bars'"}}]}] ```