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Illicit drug use and labour market achievement: evidence from the UK

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  • Ziggy MacDonald
  • Stephen Pudney

Abstract

This study, using data from the British Crime Survey (BCS), examines the effect of drug use on occupational achievement. It starts by attempting to overcome the identification problem that results from the limited set of drug use questions presented in the BCS. Taking this into account, and allowing for the endogeneity of drug use in equations for unemployment and labour market outcomes, that a mild positive association with 'soft' drugs and occupational achievement is observed that diminishes with age. This relationship holds for males but not for females. In contrast, it is also found that past use of 'hard' drugs significantly increases the likelihood of current unemployment, although it appears to be unrelated to occupational success, conditional on achieving employment.

Suggested Citation

  • Ziggy MacDonald & Stephen Pudney, 2001. "Illicit drug use and labour market achievement: evidence from the UK," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(13), pages 1655-1668.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:applec:v:33:y:2001:i:13:p:1655-1668
    DOI: 10.1080/00036840010014454
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    6. Ziggy MacDonald, "undated". "The Demand for Illicit Drugs in the UK: Survey Evidence," Discussion Papers in Public Sector Economics 97/5, Division of Economics, School of Business, University of Leicester.
    7. Z. MacDonald & S. Pudney, 2000. "Analysing drug abuse with British Crime Survey data: modelling and questionnaire design issues," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series C, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 49(1), pages 95-117.
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    Cited by:

    1. van Ours, J.C., 2005. "Cannabis, Cocaine and the Wages of Prime Age Males," Other publications TiSEM 1b74e15f-3dda-4ac9-bbc0-d, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    2. Carlos Casacuberta & Mariana Gerstenblüth & Patricia Triunfo, 2012. "Aportes del análisis económico al estudio de las drogas," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 0112, Department of Economics - dECON.
    3. Jan C. van Ours, 2006. "Cannabis, cocaine and jobs," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 21(7), pages 897-917.
    4. 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.
    5. Pudney, Stephen & Bryan, Mark & DelBono, Emilia, 2013. "Licensing and regulation of the cannabis market in England and Wales: Towards a cost-benefit analysis," MPRA Paper 50365, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Roger Bowles & Chrisostomos Florackis, 2012. "Impatience, reputation and offending," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(2), pages 177-187, January.
    7. Jenny Williams & Christopher L. Skeels, 2006. "The impact of cannabis and cigarette use on health," Department of Economics - Working Papers Series 969, The University of Melbourne.
    8. Jenny Williams & Christopher Skeels, 2006. "The Impact of Cannabis Use on Health," De Economist, Springer, vol. 154(4), pages 517-546, December.
    9. Preety Ramful & Xueyan Zhao, 2009. "Participation in marijuana, cocaine and heroin consumption in Australia: a multivariate probit approach," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(4), pages 481-496.
    10. Alex Acworth & Nicolas de Roos & Hajime Katayama, 2012. "Substance use and adolescent sexual activity," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(9), pages 1067-1079, March.
    11. Ziggy MacDonald & Michael Shields, "undated". "The Impact of Alcohol Use on Occupational Attainment and Wages," Discussion Papers in Public Sector Economics 98/8, Division of Economics, School of Business, University of Leicester.

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