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The health consequences of aerial spraying illicit crops: The case of Colombia

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  • Camacho, Adriana
  • Mejía, Daniel

Abstract

This paper exploits variations in aerial spraying across time and space in Colombia and employs a panel of individual health records in order to study the causal effects of the aerial spraying of herbicides (glyphosate) on short-term health-related outcomes. Our results show that exposure to the herbicide used in aerial spraying campaigns increases the number of medical consultations related to dermatological and respiratory illnesses, as well as the number of miscarriages. These findings are robust to the inclusion of individual fixed effects, which compare the prevalence of these medical conditions for the same person under different levels of exposure to the herbicide used in the aerial spraying program over a period of 5 years. Also, our results are robust to controlling for the extent of illicit coca cultivation in the municipality of residence.

Suggested Citation

  • Camacho, Adriana & Mejía, Daniel, 2017. "The health consequences of aerial spraying illicit crops: The case of Colombia," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 147-160.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:54:y:2017:i:c:p:147-160
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2017.04.005
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Daniel Mejía & Pascual Restrepo & Sandra V. Rozo, 2017. "On the Effects of Enforcement on Illegal Markets: Evidence from a Quasi-Experiment in Colombia," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 31(2), pages 570-594.
    2. Mejia, Daniel & Restrepo, Pascual, 2016. "The economics of the war on illegal drug production and trafficking," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 126(PA), pages 255-275.
    3. Reyes, Luis Carlos, 2014. "Estimating the Causal Effect of Forced Eradication on Coca Cultivation in Colombian Municipalities," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 70-84.
    4. Grossman, Michael, 1972. "On the Concept of Health Capital and the Demand for Health," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 80(2), pages 223-255, March-Apr.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Mateus Dias & Rudi Rocha & Rodrigo R. Soares, 2019. "Down the River: Glyphosate Use in Agriculture and Birth Outcomes of Surrounding Populations," Documentos de Trabajo 17176, The Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association (LACEA).
    2. Hernán Borrero & Jairo Parada, 2022. "The ‘carrot’ and the ‘stick’ to reduce coca plantations in Colombia: An empirical investigation," Revista Desarrollo y Sociedad, Universidad de los Andes,Facultad de Economía, CEDE, vol. 92(4), pages 141-167, October.
    3. Mounu Prem & Juan F. Vargas & Daniel Mejía, 2023. "The Rise and Persistence of Illegal Crops: Evidence from a Naive Policy Announcement," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 105(2), pages 344-358, March.
    4. Daniel Mejía & Pascual Restrepo & Sandra V. Rozo, 2017. "On the Effects of Enforcement on Illegal Markets: Evidence from a Quasi-Experiment in Colombia," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 31(2), pages 570-594.
    5. Varios autores, 2020. "Lecturas sobre Derecho de Tierras. Tomo IV," Books, Universidad Externado de Colombia, Facultad de Derecho, number 1210, October.
    6. Juan Pablo Cote, 2019. "The Effect of Interdiction on Coca Cultivation in Colombia," Documentos CEDE 17316, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    7. Mateus Dias & Rudi Rocha & Rodrigo R Soares, 2023. "Down the River: Glyphosate Use in Agriculture and Birth Outcomes of Surrounding Populations," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 90(6), pages 2943-2981.
    8. Carvajal, Hernán, 2023. "Efectos de la suspensión de las aspersiones aéreas con glifosato sobre la deserción escolar en Colombia," Documentos CEDE 20307, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    9. Joan Calzada & Meritxell Gisbert & Bernard Moscoso, 2021. "The hidden cost of bananas: pesticide effects on newborns’ health," UB School of Economics Working Papers 2021/405, University of Barcelona School of Economics.
    10. Lucas Marín Llanes, 2020. "Unintended Consequences of Alternative Development Programs: Evidence From Colombia's Illegal Crop Substitution," Documentos CEDE 18468, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    11. Eleonora Dávalos & Leonardo Fabio Morales, 2023. "Diffusion of crime control benefits: forced eradication and coca crops in Colombia," Spatial Economic Analysis, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(3), pages 292-317, July.
    12. Samuel Lordemus & Noemi Kreif & Rodrigo Moreno-Serra, 2021. "Public healthcare financing during counterinsurgency efforts: Evidence from Colombia," HiCN Working Papers 348, Households in Conflict Network.
    13. Dias, Mateus & Rocha, Rudi & Soares, Rodrigo R., 2019. "Glyphosate Use in Agriculture and Birth Outcomes of Surrounding Populations," IZA Discussion Papers 12164, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    14. Yixiao Zhang & Zixu Chen & Xiaoyan Li & Xinguo Wu & Lanzhou Chen & Gaohong Wang, 2022. "Photosynthesis Responses of Tibetan Freshwater Algae Chlorella vulgaris to Herbicide Glyphosate," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-11, December.
    15. Adhvaryu, Achyuta & Molina, Teresa & Nyshadham, Anant & Tamayo, Jorge & Torres, Nicolas, 2023. "The health costs of dirty energy: Evidence from the capacity market in Colombia," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    16. Diaz Gutierrez, Julian, 2023. "Trade Effects on Substance Abuse: Evidence from Colombia's Liberalization," 2023 Annual Meeting, July 23-25, Washington D.C. 335460, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    17. Muñoz-Mora, Juan Carlos & Tobón, Santiago & d’Anjou, Jesse Willem, 2018. "The role of land property rights in the war on illicit crops: Evidence from Colombia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 268-283.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Aerial spraying; Health outcomes; Plan Colombia; Glyphosate;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare

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