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Drug abuse economics: cost estimates and policy implications
Author(s) -
COLLINS D. J.,
LAPSLEY H. M.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
drug and alcohol review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.018
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1465-3362
pISSN - 0959-5236
DOI - 10.1080/09595239200185511
Subject(s) - harm , public economics , yield (engineering) , economics , substance abuse , competition (biology) , actuarial science , state (computer science) , drug , medicine , political science , psychiatry , law , computer science , ecology , materials science , algorithm , biology , metallurgy
This paper presents a brief summary of the results of a study estimating the economic costs of drug abuse in Australia and commentary on these results. It proceeds to draw some conclusions about the extent of the potential benefits of drug harm minimization programmes and of the types of programmes which might yield high rates of return. It applies some standard analyses normally used in the areas of industry and taxation economics to draw conclusions in regard to tobacco advertising, competition between federal and state governments in drug policies and the hypothecation (earmarking) of taxes to drug programmes.