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The Opioid Epidemic: Causes and Consequences

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  • Carolina Arteaga Cabrales
  • Victoria Barone

Abstract

This paper studies the origins and consequences of the opioid epidemic. Drawing on recently unsealed documents from state litigation against Purdue Pharma, we instrument for the supply of prescription opioids by exploiting features of the initial marketing of OxyContin. We find that moving from the 25th-to-the-75th percentile in the distribution of prescription opioid supply increases deaths from prescription opioids by 89% and deaths from all opioids by 39%. This corresponds to over 200,000 deaths. We estimate that the opioid crisis did not have an effect on labor market outcomes, such as labor force participation or employment rates, but it had adverse effects on socioeconomic conditions, as indicated by increased claims from SNAP and disability and increased crime. We estimate decreases in pregnancy duration, birth weight and health at birth but no effect on infant mortality and we estimate an increase in fertility rates.

Suggested Citation

  • Carolina Arteaga Cabrales & Victoria Barone, 2021. "The Opioid Epidemic: Causes and Consequences," Working Papers tecipa-698, University of Toronto, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:tor:tecipa:tecipa-698
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. David M. Cutler & Edward L. Glaeser, 2021. "When Innovation Goes Wrong: Technological Regress and the Opioid Epidemic," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 35(4), pages 171-196, Fall.
    2. Johanna Catherine Maclean & Justine Mallatt & Christopher J. Ruhm & Kosali Simon, 2022. "The Opioid Crisis, Health, Healthcare, and Crime: A Review of Quasi-Experimental Economic Studies," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 703(1), pages 15-49, September.
    3. Jessica Pac & Christine Durrance & Lawrence Berger & Deborah B. Ehrenthal, 2022. "The Effects of Opioid Use during Pregnancy on Infant Health and Well-Being," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 703(1), pages 106-138, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Opioids; Mortality; Health;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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