An 8 ball is a slang term used to identify a specific quantity of an illegal drug, most often cocaine. It is approximately an eighth of an ounce (ranging from 3 to 3.5 grams) of the drug. The term appears to have originated in the mid-1980s, and the going rate for such an item at that time ranged from $300 to $350. An 8 ball of cocaine is typically purchased for use by multiple people on one occasion or for one person over a day or longer, as it is a relatively large amount, especially for a single person to use over a short period. The term "8-ball" is also used to refer to one-eighth of an ounce of other drugs, including heroin and meth, but it is most commonly used to describe this specific amount of cocaine.