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AIC: The relationship between drug price and purity and population level harm

Hughes, Caitlin

 

Hulme, Shann

 

Ritter, Alison

ISSN

1836-2206

ISBN

9781925304510

Published Date

02-07-2020

Subject

Comparative analysis

 

Cocaine

 

Amphetamines

 

Heroin

Series

Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice

598

Australian Institute of Criminology

Abstract

In illicit drug markets, the price and purity of drugs change frequently. While it is well known that purity-adjusted price affects drug use, impacts on other outcomes are less clear. This rapid review examines the relationship between price, purity and seven population level measures of drug-related harm and any differences across three drug types. With a few exceptions, it found an inverse relationship between purity-adjusted price and drug-related harm, with higher purity-adjusted price associated with less drug-related harm, and lower purity-adjusted price associated with increased harm. This shows the value of price and purity data for predicting drug market impacts and the importance of improving price and purity data collection and analyses, particularly in Australia.