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Drug use, drug abuse, and labour market outcomes

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  • Thomas C. Buchmueller
  • Samuel H. Zuvekas

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between illicit drug use and labour market success, and in doing so addresses two shortcomings of the previous literature. First, unlike many previous analyses, ours accounts for differences in intensity of use using clinically based diagnostic measures. Second, while recent studies focus only on young adults, we analyze a prime‐age (30–45‐year‐olds) sample as well. Our results indicate that these differences are important. Similar to previous studies, we find evidence of a positive relationship between drug use and income for young workers. However, we also find some evidence of lower incomes for young workers reporting daily use of illicit drugs. For prime‐age men, we find strong evidence that problematic drug use (as indicated by either a diagnosis of pathological use or dependence or by daily use) is negatively related to income. We also find a negative relationship between problematic use and employment among prime‐age, but not younger, men. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas C. Buchmueller & Samuel H. Zuvekas, 1998. "Drug use, drug abuse, and labour market outcomes," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 7(3), pages 229-245, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:7:y:1998:i:3:p:229-245
    DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1099-1050(199805)7:3<229::AID-HEC315>3.0.CO;2-R
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    2. Jakub Lonsky & Isabel Ruiz & Carlos Vargas-Silva, 2022. "Trade Networks, Heroin Markets, and the Labor Market Outcomes of Vietnam Veterans," Working Papers 202203, University of Liverpool, Department of Economics.
    3. Roebuck, M. Christopher & French, Michael T. & Dennis, Michael L., 2004. "Adolescent marijuana use and school attendance," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 133-141, April.
    4. Ziggy MacDonald, 2004. "What Price Drug Use? The Contribution of Economics to an Evidence‐Based Drugs Policy," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(2), pages 113-152, April.
    5. Mohamed Abdallah Ali & Mazhar Mughal & Charles Kodjo Mawusi, 2021. "Does Khat Consumption Affect Work Performance ? A Micro-Perspective from Djibouti," Working papers of Transitions Energétiques et Environnementales (TREE) hal-03375659, HAL.
    6. Harris, Matthew & Kessler, Lawrence & Murray, Matthew & Glenn, Beth, 2017. "Prescription Opioids and Labor Market Pains: The Effect of Schedule II Opioids on Labor Force Participation and Unemployment," MPRA Paper 86586, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 28 Mar 2018.
    7. Filip Palda, 2001. "Pain," Microeconomics 0111003, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Lonsky, Jakub & Ruiz, Isabel & Vargas-Silva, Carlos, 2022. "Trade networks, heroin markets, and the labor market outcomes of Vietnam veterans," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    9. Costa Storti, Cláudia & Grauwe, Paul & Sabadash, Anna & Montanari, Linda, 2011. "Unemployment and drug treatment," MPRA Paper 61799, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Sabia, Joseph J. & Nguyen, Thanh Tam, 2016. "The Effect of Medical Marijuana Laws on Labor Market Outcomes," IZA Discussion Papers 9831, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Michael T. French & M. Christopher Roebuck & Pierre Kébreau Alexandre, 2001. "Illicit Drug Use, Employment, and Labor Force Participation," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 68(2), pages 349-368, October.
    12. Pierre Kébreau Alexandre & Michael T. French, 2004. "Further Evidence on the Labor Market Effects of Addiction: Chronic Drug Use and Employment in Metropolitan Miami," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 22(3), pages 382-393, July.
    13. Linton, Sabriya L. & Haley, Danielle F. & Hunter-Jones, Josalin & Ross, Zev & Cooper, Hannah L.F., 2017. "Social causation and neighborhood selection underlie associations of neighborhood factors with illicit drug-using social networks and illicit drug use among adults relocated from public housing," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 81-90.
    14. Jeanne S. Ringel & Phyllis L. Ellickson & Rebecca L. Collins, 2006. "The Relationship Between High School Marijuana Use And Annual Earnings Among Young Adult Males," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 24(1), pages 52-63, January.
    15. Zarkin, Gary A. & Mroz, Thomas A. & Bray, Jeremy W. & French, Michael T., 1998. "The relationship between drug use and labor supply for young men," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 5(4), pages 385-409, December.

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