title: The economics of drug abuse: a quantitative assessment of drug demand.
abstract: Behavioral economic concepts have proven useful for an overall understanding of the regulation of behavior by environmental commodities and complements a pharmacological perspective on drug abuse in several ways. First, a quantitative assessment of drug demand, equated in terms of drug potency, allows meaningful comparisons to be made among drug reinforcers within and across pharmacological classes. Second, behavioral economics provides a conceptual framework for understanding key factors, both pharmacological and environmental, that contribute to reductions in consumption of illicit drugs. Finally, behavioral economics provides a basis for generalization from laboratory and clinical studies to the development of novel behavioral and pharmacological therapies.
authors.affiliation: Science Applications International Corporation, Abingdon, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Steven R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Hursh
authors.forename: Chad M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Galuska
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Winger
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Woods
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001519:Behavior; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000191:economics* / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs