IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jhecon/v91y2023ics0167629623000759.html

Does drug decriminalization increase unintentional drug overdose deaths?

Author

Listed:
  • Spencer, Noah

Abstract

This paper evaluates the causal effect of drug decriminalization on unintentional drug overdose deaths in a context with relatively poor access to drug treatment services. Using the synthetic control method, I find that when Oregon decriminalized small amounts of drugs in February 2021, it caused 182 additional unintentional drug overdose deaths to occur in Oregon in 2021. This represents a 23% increase over the number of unintentional drug overdose deaths predicted if Oregon had not decriminalized drugs.

Suggested Citation

  • Spencer, Noah, 2023. "Does drug decriminalization increase unintentional drug overdose deaths?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:91:y:2023:i:c:s0167629623000759
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2023.102798
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167629623000759
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jhealeco.2023.102798?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Packham, Analisa, 2022. "Syringe exchange programs and harm reduction: New evidence in the wake of the opioid epidemic," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wang, Yimin, 2025. "Links between COVID-19 lockdowns and drug overdose deaths, evidence from panel data," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    2. Zachary Porreca, 2024. "Identifying the General Equilibrium Effects of Narcotics Enforcement," BAFFI CAREFIN Working Papers 24227, BAFFI CAREFIN, Centre for Applied Research on International Markets Banking Finance and Regulation, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy.
    3. Cawley, John & Dragone, Davide, 2024. "Harm reduction for addictive consumption: When does it improve health and when does it backfire?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • D04 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Policy: Formulation; Implementation; Evaluation
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:91:y:2023:i:c:s0167629623000759. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/505560 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.