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Do Drug Consumption Rooms Reduce Drug-Related Hospitalizations? Evidence from Switzerland

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  • Ana Armendariz

Abstract

This paper estimates the causal effect of drug consumption room (DCR) openings on drug-related hospitalizations in Switzerland. I exploit the staggered introduction of DCRs across Swiss cities between 1998 and 2022, using individual-level hospital records and a difference-in-differences estimator. DCR openings reduce drug-related hospitalization rates by roughly 35\% within 5 km of a facility. The reduction is most pronounced for fatal outcomes, which fall by 35\% while narcotics poisoning hospitalizations rise by a comparable amount, consistent with DCRs converting potentially fatal overdoses into non-fatal hospitalizations. Mental and behavioral disorder hospitalizations decline by 32\% while estimates for Hepatitis and HIV are imprecise. The findings support the role of DCRs as an effective harm reduction strategy.

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  • Ana Armendariz, 2026. "Do Drug Consumption Rooms Reduce Drug-Related Hospitalizations? Evidence from Switzerland," Papers 2609.27732, arXiv.org.
    • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:2609.27732
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    1. Goodman-Bacon, Andrew, 2021. "Difference-in-differences with variation in treatment timing," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 225(2), pages 254-277.
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