New Projects

Analyses of drug markets over many years have shown that the price and purity of illicit substances can have a key role in shaping drug consumption, and in turn drug-related harm. For example, prior international research has shown that decreases in the price of pure heroin can be associated with increased emergency room presentations or heroin‐related overdose hospital admissions (see for example, Caulkins, 2001; Unick et al. 2014). However, it remains unknown to what extent these relationships vary by time, geography/place and drug class. Clarifying the relationship between price, purity and drug-related harm is important for informing targeted law enforcement and harm minimisation strategies.

This project will conduct a rapid review of existing research that has examined the relationship between price, purity and drug-related harm.

Read more on the NDARC website.