UK is going to include illegal drugs and prostitution in its GDP
A customs official stands with a bag of seized cigarettes at Gatwick Airport on May 28, 2014 in London, England.
Sex please — we're British.
Britain's Office of National Statistics says prostitution and the import, manufacture and consumption of illegal drugs should be counted when making the government's quarterly calculations of gross domestic product.
The UK statistics agency says some of these activities are legal in certain European Union countries, and comparable figures are needed. At the moment, the only illegal activities included in GDP are estimates on alcohol and tobacco smuggling.
The ONS said Friday that the new estimates would add approximately 10 billion pounds ($16.7 billion) to the level of GDP in 2009.
ONS Chief Economic Adviser Joe Grice says that as economies develop and evolve, "so do the statistics we use to measure them."
The article you just read is free because dedicated readers and listeners like you chose to support our nonprofit newsroom. Our team works tirelessly to ensure you hear the latest in international, human-centered reporting every weekday. But our work would not be possible without you. We need your help.
Make a gift today to help us reach our $25,000 goal and keep The World going strong. Every gift will get us one step closer.