A Path Out: Prescription Drug Abuse, Treatment, and Suicide
58 Pages Posted: 2 Apr 2018 Last revised: 13 Sep 2022
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A Path Out: Prescription Drug Abuse, Treatment, and Suicide
Abstract
In this paper we investigate the dual role of supply restrictions and drug treatment in combating the concurrent rise of opioid abuse and suicide in the United States over the last two decades. We find that supply-side interventions decrease suicides in places with strong addiction-help networks, implying that prescription drug abuse is associated with an inherent risk of suicide. Our findings support an important role for access to treatment services in policies designed to combat the opioid epidemic.
Keywords: prescription drugs, drug abuse, drug addiction treatment, PDMP, suicide
JEL Classification: I12, I18, D11, D12
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation