Drug prices and emergency department mentions for cocaine and heroin.
OBJECTIVE
In this report, the author illustrates the historic relation between retail drug prices and emergency department mentions for cocaine and heroin.


METHODS
Price series based on the Drug Enforcement Administration's System to Retrieve Information From Drug Evidence database were correlated with data on emergency department mentions from the DrugAbuse Warning Network for cocaine (1978-1996) and heroin (1981-1996).


RESULTS
A simple model in which emergency department mentions are driven by only prices explains more than 95% of the variation in emergency department mentions.


CONCLUSIONS
Fluctuations in prices are an important determinant of adverse health outcomes associated with drugs.
Caulkins
J P
JP
Carnegie Mellon University, H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. caulkins@rand.org
D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D006302:Health Services Research; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000191:economics* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D017059:Models, Econometric; D009017:Morbidity; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D013287:Illicit Drugs