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The Intended and Unintended Effects of Opioid Policies on Prescription Opioids and Crime

Author

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  • Deiana Claudio

    (Department of Economics and Business, University of Cagliari (Italy), via Sant’Ignazio 17, 09100Cagliari, Italy)

  • Giua Ludovica

    (European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Via Fermi, Ispra, VA, 21027, Italy)

Abstract

In response to the opioid crisis, US states have implemented policies to reduce the dispensing of opioids and curb drug mortality. Exploiting a long panel of county-level data, we analyse the combination of demand- and supply-side state opioid policies and evaluate their effect on opioids per capita dispensed and their unintended fallouts on drug-related crime. We demonstrate that only laws targeting the supply for opioids reduce the volume of prescribed drugs, while demand-side policies are less effective. We also emphasize that within supply-side state regulations, Pain Management Clinics Laws are the most successful in reducing the dispensation of prescription opioids. Remarkably, the drop in opioids distributed due to supply-side regulations is accompanied by negative externalities in the local market for illicit drugs.

Suggested Citation

  • Deiana Claudio & Giua Ludovica, 2021. "The Intended and Unintended Effects of Opioid Policies on Prescription Opioids and Crime," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 21(2), pages 751-792, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bejeap:v:21:y:2021:i:2:p:751-792:n:11
    DOI: 10.1515/bejeap-2020-0253
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Diwas KC & TI Tongil Kim & Jiayi Liu, 2022. "Electronic prescription monitoring and the opioid epidemic," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(11), pages 4057-4074, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    crime; drugs; opioid laws; prescription opioids;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • K32 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Energy, Environmental, Health, and Safety Law

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