Recreational Drug Consumption: An Economic Perspective (Developments in Health Economics and Public Policy Book 11)

Recreational drug policies and regulations are complex issues with many dimensions. This book attempts to answer several questions raised in current drug policy debates. Developing cost-effective drug programs and policies require a sound knowledge of drug users and their characteristics and the relationship across drugs. Who are the drug users? Can demographic factors help towards predicting drug usage? What sub-population groups should be targeted for drug campaigns and educational programs? Can a drug policy aimed at discouraging the use of one drug likely to affect the use of other drugs which are its economic substitutes or complements? What are the implications of drug use? Policymakers and researchers in the area of health and social development would find this book very useful. Front Matter....Pages i-vii Introduction....Pages 1-7 Literature Review....Pages 9-24 An Overview of Recreational Drug Consumption in Australia....Pages 25-44 Modelling Consumption of Individual Drugs....Pages 45-72 Modelling Multiple Drug Use Using a Multivariate Approach....Pages 73-97 Modelling Alcohol Consumption by Levels Using an Ordered Generalised Extreme Value (OGEV) Model....Pages 99-113 Drinking Patterns and Earnings....Pages 115-131 Summary, Policy Implications and Further Research....Pages 133-142 Back Matter....Pages 143-176