TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2016//
TI  - Drug decriminalization and the price of illicit drugs
JO  - International journal on drug policy
A1  - Félix, Sónia
A1  - Portugal, Pedro
SP  - 121
EP  - 129
VL  - 39
IS  - 
N2  - BACKGROUND: This study is an empirical assessment of the impact of the drug decriminalization policy followed by Portugal in July 2001, on the price of illicit drugs. <br><br>METHODS: The analysis is performed using a difference-in-differences approach and the Synthetic Control Method in order to construct a synthetic control unit from a convex combination of countries. <br><br>RESULTS: The results suggest that the prices of opiates and cocaine in the post-treatment period did not decrease in the sequence of the policy change. <br><br>CONCLUSION: We conclude that the drug decriminalization policy seems to have caused no harm through lower illicit drugs prices, which would lead to higher drug usage and dependence.<br><br>Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0955-3959
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2016.10.014
ID  - ref1
ER  -