Economists and drug policy

Niskanen, William A.

doi:10.1016/0167-2231(92)90022-b

Cited by 12 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Of course, application of the theoretical ap- proach would require knowledge of the shape of the demand curve, and particularly the relationship between prices and consumption. The lack of available estimates of this relationship has been lamented in several reviews of the economic literature on illicit drugs (Wagstaff & Maynard, 1988;Niskanen, 1992;Godfrey, 1994). In particular, there are no estimates of where the demand curve intersects with the price axis, i.e.…”

Section: A Theoretical Approach To Valuing Drug Consumption and Dealingmentioning

confidence: 99%

The income‐generating behaviour of injecting drug‐users in Oslo

Bretteville-Jensen¹,

Sutton

1996

Addiction

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Drug users' income-generating behaviours, such as prostitution, acquisitive crime and small-scale dealing, have a major influence on the harm caused to the non-using population. Using data on the drug use and income sources of 900 drug-injectors in Oslo, this paper has two aims: to present data on Oslo income-generating behaviours and compare these with those in the Netherlands and Scotland; and to explore conceptual issues in the comparison of self-reported dealing income with other sources. Eighty-three per cent of respondents reported income from social benefit, and 43% had sold drugs in the last month. Half the females reported income from prostitution. The income-generation differences found in the comparisons section do not seem to reflect variations in drug and other social policies, but may relate to differences in the profitability of dealing. Using self-reported dealing income to compare the contributions of different income sources may be misleading, however, since it does not reflect financial profit or the value of dealers' drug consumption. Adjusted figures show that theft accounts for 23% of total drugs expenditure, while the corresponding figures for dealing and prostitution are 42% and 21%, respectively.

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Section: A Theoretical Approach To Valuing Drug Consumption and Dealingmentioning

confidence: 99%

The income‐generating behaviour of injecting drug‐users in Oslo

Bretteville-Jensen¹,

Sutton

1996

Addiction

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show abstract

“…The lack of available estimates of this relationship has been lamented in several reviews of the economic literature on illicit drugs (Wagstaff & Maynard, 1988;Niskanen, 1992;Godfrey, 1994). The lack of available estimates of this relationship has been lamented in several reviews of the economic literature on illicit drugs (Wagstaff & Maynard, 1988;Niskanen, 1992;Godfrey, 1994).…”

Section: Comparison With Netherlands and Scottish Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The income-generating behaviour of injecting drug-users in Oslo

Bretteville-Jensen¹,

Sutton²

1996

Addiction

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Drug users' income-generating behaviours, such as prostitution, acquisitive crime and small-scale dealing, have a major influence on the harm caused to the non-using population. Using data on the drug use and income sources of 900 drug-injectors in Oslo, this paper has two aims: to present data on Oslo income-generating behaviours and compare these with those in the Netherlands and Scotland; and to explore conceptual issues in the comparison of self-reported dealing income with other sources. Eighty-three per cent of respondents reported income from social benefit, and 43% had sold drugs in the last month. Half the females reported income from prostitution. The income-generation differences found in the comparisons section do not seem to reflect variations in drug and other social policies, but may relate to differences in the profitability of dealing. Using self-reported dealing income to compare the contributions of different income sources may be misleading, however, since it does not reflect financial profit or the value of dealers' drug consumption. Adjusted figures show that theft accounts for 23 % of total drugs expenditure, while the corresponding figures for dealing and prostitution are 42% and 21%, respectively.

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“…The consequences of such criminal acts are mostly known and the risk of criminal prosecution (in the sense of rising costs for addiction-related consumption) is accepted (Niskanen, 1992). IJWBR 24,2 6.…”

Section: Differentiation Of Consumer Segmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The permanent budget shortage, caused by higher alcohol prices, motivates addicted people to search for new income sources, maybe through a variety of criminal acts. The consequences of such criminal acts are mostly known and the risk of criminal prosecution (in the sense of rising costs for addiction-related consumption) is accepted (Niskanen, 1992).…”

Section: Differentiation Of Consumer Segmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustained wine business as reflected by the international alcohol policy

Hoffmann

2012

International Journal of Wine Business Research

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Purpose -After a period of 20 years of successful growth in sales in the international wine business, the upcoming International Alcohol Policy is endangering the economic sustainability of the wine business. To reduce alcohol-caused hazards and harm, the International Alcohol Policy favours taxes and minimum prices for all alcoholic beverages. This policy is based on a large number of empirical studies on the price elasticity of alcoholic beverages. The purpose of this paper is to ask whether higher taxes on alcoholic beverages can solve the problems caused by excessive alcohol consumption or whether they are largely ineffective while producing other sustained damage at the same time. Design/methodology/approach -The paper evaluates the results of studies on the price elasticity of alcoholic beverages by using the available results of studies on consumer decision making, focusing in particular on the relevance of price elasticity in comparison to the relevance of individually available budgets and prefer ences. In that case the contrast between alcoholics (consumer segment causing alcoholism) and average consumers is analysed using knowledge of the great differences in preferences between consumer segments. Findings -Wine is highly affected by this alcohol policy due to the expectation of a decrease in overall consumption and the very high costs of alcohol content-related taxes paid by all wine consumers. The price elasticity of demand for wine is analysed to be much higher than for beer and wine consumers are far away from alcoholism. Social implications -The big social problem of alcoholism has to be underlined here. This problem and its spread internationally demands an examination of the effectiveness of this alcohol policy on prices and the development of and checks on new instruments for the direct control of alcoholics. Originality/value -The international alcohol policy is an important field which needs to be analysed scientifically in more depth and in the framework of sustainability, with a focus on harmonizing social, economic and environmental aims. The paper shows that the current instruments used internationally in the alcohol policy cause large economic problems for wine consumers, as well as for wine producers and merchants, without solving the social problems of alcohol-related hazards and harm.

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Economists and drug policy

Cited by 12 publications

References 12 publications

The income‐generating behaviour of injecting drug‐users in Oslo

The income‐generating behaviour of injecting drug‐users in Oslo

The income-generating behaviour of injecting drug-users in Oslo

Sustained wine business as reflected by the international alcohol policy

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