Longitudinal Study on Deterrent Effect of Drug-Induced Homicide Law on Opioid-Related Mortality Across 92 Counties and the District of Columbia in the U.S.

• Author: Youngeun Lee,Sung W. Choi,Jonathan Lee
• Date: 01 April 2022
• DOI: 10.1177/00220426211037614
• Published date: 01 April 2022
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

Journal of Drug Issues

2022, Vol. 52(2) 131–143

© The Author(s) 2021

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DOI: 10.1177/00220426211037614

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Longitudinal Study on

Deterrent Effect of

Drug-Induced Homicide Law

on Opioid-Related Mortality

Across 92 Counties and the

District of Columbia in the U.S.

Youngeun Lee

1

, Sung W. Choi

1

and Jonathan Lee

1

Abstract

In response to the opioid epidemic in the United States, the federal and state governments have

initiated various public health responses to mitigate the problem. Among others, Drug-Induced

Homicide Laws (DIHL) have been introduced to disrupt opioid supply by imposing unconven-

tionally punitive sanctions against sales and distribution. The purpose of this study was to examine

whether DIHL had an impact on opioid-related deaths, while controlling for other laws and

socioeconomic indices. A dynamic panel model was used with cases from 92 counties across 10

states and the District of Columbia between 2013 and 2018. The f‌indings suggest that DIHL

implementation has curtailed the rate of opioid mortality. Supply-interruption approaches may

have merits and should be further evaluated.

Keywords

drug overdose, health policy, Drug-Induced Homicide Laws, panel data, drug policy

Introduction

Opioid Crisis

In recent years, drug misuse and overdose have been a growing public health concern and a

substantial burden on the national economy in the United States (McClellan et al., 2018). Fatal

drug addiction has increased by nearly six-fold over the last few decades and is now a leading

cause of deaths in the U.S. (Davis, Johnston, & Pierce, 2015;Erfanian, Collins, & Grossman,

1

School of Public Affairs, Pennsylvania State University Harrisburg, Middletown, PA, USA

Corresponding Author:

Jonathan Lee, School of Public Affairs, Pennsylvania State University Harrisburg, Penn State Harrisburg, 777 W. Harrisburg

Pike, Middletown, PA 17057, USA.

Email: JLee@psu.edu