Author: Pacula, Rosalie Liccardo
Title: Issues in Estimating the Economic Cost of Drug Abuse in Consuming Nations
Summary: This report considers the current feasibility of constructing an estimate of the global cost of drug use. While national estimates exist for seven developed countries, most countries have yet to construct a comprehensive estimate. Furthermore, it is impossible to compare the existing national estimates because of differences in the construction, which may reflect varying political and social environments that influence the nature of use and its related harms. The report lays out a conceptual framework for initiating the construction of country-specific estimates in a fashion that would facilitate cross-national comparisons. It demonstrates the difficulty in trying to implement this framework using existing data, as current data available in the various countries suffer from inconsistencies in definitions, coverage, and measurement. The pitfalls and assumptions necessary to construct a comparable estimate using existing data, therefore, are quite significant. The report concludes that it is not possible at this time to develop a meaningful comparative estimate of the cost of drug use across countries. However, it points out that steps could be taken to improve the consistency of measurement in many of the indicators in future years through coordinated international efforts, not unlike that currently being undertaken by the EMCDDA for the European Community.
Details: Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2009. 47p.
Source: Internet Resource; Report 3
Year: 2009
Country: International
URL:
Shelf Number: 117656
Keywords:
Drug Abuse and AddictionDrug and Narcotic ControlEconomicsNarcoticsSubstance Abuse |
