title: Economic conditions, illicit drug use, and substance use disorders in the United States.
abstract: We provide the first analysis of the relationship between economic conditions and the use of illicit drugs other than marijuana. Drawing on US data from 2002 to 2015, we find mixed evidence on the cyclicality of illicit drug use. However, we find robust evidence that economic downturns lead to increases in the intensity of prescription pain reliever use as well as increases in clinically relevant substance use disorders involving opioids. These effects are concentrated among working-age white males with low educational attainment. We conclude that policymakers should consider devoting more, not fewer, resources to treating substance use disorders during economic downturns.
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt University, United States. Electronic address: christopher.s.carpenter@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Christopher S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.affiliation: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), United States. Electronic address: chandler.mcclellan@samhsa.hhs.gov.
authors.forename: Chandler B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: McClellan
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado Denver, United States. Electronic address: daniel.rees@ucdenver.edu.
authors.forename: Daniel I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Rees
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D057172:Economic Recession / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology; D063487:Prescription Drug Misuse / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Drug use; Economic conditions; Substance use disorders