Drug decriminalization and the price of illicit drugs

作者：Felix Sonia; Portugal Pedro

来源：International Journal of Drug Policy, 2017, 39: 121-129.

DOI：10.1016/j.drugpo.2016.10.014

• Illicit drugs
• Drug decriminalization policy
• Drug prices
• Treatment effects

Background: This study is an empirical assessment of the impact of the drug decriminalization policy followed by Portugal in July 2001, on the price of illicit drugs.
Methods: The analysis is performed using a difference-in-differences approach and the Synthetic Control Method in order to construct a synthetic control unit from a convex combination of countries.
Results: The results suggest that the prices of opiates and cocaine in the post-treatment period did not decrease in the sequence of the policy change.
Conclusion: We conclude that the drug decriminalization policy seems to have caused no harm through lower illicit drugs prices, which would lead to higher drug usage and dependence.

• 出版日期2017-1