Harm Reduction: When Does It Improve Health, and When Does it Backfire?

Cawley, John ; Dragone, Davide (2023) Harm Reduction: When Does It Improve Health, and When Does it Backfire? Bologna: Dipartimento di Scienze economiche, p. 38. DOI 10.6092/unibo/amsacta/7157. In: Quaderni - Working Paper DSE (1181). ISSN 2282-6483.
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Abstract

Some harm reduction strategies encourage individuals to switch from a harmful addictive good to a less harmful addictive good. This approach is controversial, with advocates claiming it helps switching to a less harmful substance, and opponents claiming it may lead to new substance abuse. This paper builds on theories of addiction to model the introduction of a harm reduction method, and it demonstrates when each side is correct, depending on the enjoyableness of the harm reduction method, the addictiveness of the harm reduction method, and the substitutability with the original addictive good.

Abstract
Document type
Monograph (Working Paper)
Creators
CreatorsAffiliationORCID
Cawley, JohnCornell University, Brooks School of Public Policy0000-0002-4805-9883
Dragone, DavideUniversity of Bologna, Department of Economics0000-0002-2725-4743
Keywords
addiction, harm reduction, initiation, moral hazard, Peltzman effect, risk compensation
Subjects
ISSN
2282-6483
DOI
Deposit date
02 Feb 2023 08:28
Last modified
14 Jun 2023 12:52
URI

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