Title: The Moral Hazard of Lifesaving Innovations: Naloxone Access, Opioid Abuse, and Crime
Authors: Jennifer Doleac and Anita Mukherjee
http://jenniferdoleac.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Abstract.pdf
Abstract:
States across the country have responded to the opioid epidemic by increasing access to Naloxone,
a drug that can help save lives when administered during an overdose. However, Naloxone access
may unintendedly increase opioid abuse because the catastrophic risk of death might have
previously deterred risk-averse individuals from these substances. Using jurisdiction level panel
data on crime and a difference-in-differences framework exploiting Naloxone access laws, we
estimate that broadening Naloxone access increases opioid-related crimes by 50%. These effects
come mostly from heroin and a category that includes prescription opioids. These crimes are also
more likely to coincide with theft, assault, and robbery offenses, suggesting that drug users are
engaging in other types of crime to fund their addiction or as a byproduct of addiction. We also
show that Naloxone access may encourage substitution from crack and cocaine to opioids, and
investigate changes in offender demographics and crime location. We find no statistically
significant effect of expanded Naloxone access on placebo categories of crime including murder
and marijuana-related offenses.
I have repeatedly stated that Naloxone will seldom prevent OD deaths… just postpones them. I have already seen the number of estimated serious addicts/substance abuser being increased from 1.2 million to 2.1 million.
So that means that at the lower end of “food chain” … more people seeking various substances to abuse.. many of these people increasingly involved in petty crimes to support their habit… giving local law enforcement, jails, prosecuting & defense attorneys, the court systems.. many more “bodies” running thru the system… so that they can demonstrate the need for bigger budgets, more staff , larger jails and all the other ancillary expenses that goes along with this.
Filed under: General Problems
Thee U.N human rights council suggested about 1 year ago,,to our America to de-crimnalize ALLLLLL DRUG RELATED CRIMES,,,,, where use is involved,,,,I agree,,,if we switch the funds given to the dea/jails/warehouses to treatment centers,,,,would it work????Would it make a difference in another humans life to have no felony on his record from thee age of 18 for smoken a joint or a 3 strikes type law,,then the 1st felony?,,,to become more productive member of our society?,, ,to get a better job in thier future??Don’t know,,,but I do know incarceration of soooooo many is NOT working either,,,,,,,just feeding the food chain,,,,