Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/282780 
Year of Publication: 
2023
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 16653
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
After the introduction of abuse-deterrent OxyContin in 2010, states with widespread extramedical OxyContin use experienced steep increases in heroin deaths, implying substitution from OxyContin to heroin. Leveraging cross-state variation in initial OxyContin utilization, we show the OxyContin reformulation also induced substitution to a similar prescription opioid product, Opana ER. States with high Opana ER utilization after the OxyContin reformulation experienced continued growth in prescription opioid deaths, and after Opana ER was reformulated 18 months later, an additional wave of substitution to heroin previously solely attributed to OxyContin. Our results highlight underappreciated substitution pathways throughout these pivotal years of the epidemic.
Subjects: 
opioids
opioid epidemic
OxyContin
Opana ER
heroin
JEL: 
I12
I18
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
3.69 MB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.