L’usage de drogues et les crises économiques : les leçons tirées des analyses économiques sur l’alcool diffèrent de celles relatives à l’usage de drogues

This is the second annual lecture in memory of Alison Chesney and Eddie Killoran and will take place on Wednesday October 19th, at 17.45.

In the lecture Dr Pacula will summarize the latest scientific findings of the impact of economic recessions on drug supply, drug use and the consequences of use, drawing on numerous parallels with the alcohol supply and consumption. In doing so she will provide the audience with an understanding of how the general economy impacts on drug markets (both supply and demand) using simple economic principles and the extent to which we see these economic mechanisms dominate, or get dominated by other social and psychological mechanisms. Insights from this review will be useful for thinking about how policy might adjust during periods of economic downturns and/or upturns in developed economies so as to better address the needs and consequences of these markets.

The lecture comes at a particularly apposite moment, with the recent global recession and financial crisis of 2009 decimating national budgets, substantially reducing the ability in nations to provide financial support to address a range of important social and public health problems. In the case of addiction services the impact of reduced budgets to support prevention and treatment is believed to be made worse by a common held belief that the use of intoxicating substances goes up during periods of economic downturns. The science supporting this belief is actually quite mixed, and indeed evidence from the alcohol literature suggests that the relationship is quite the opposite, with heavy drinking declining during periods of significant economic downturn in developed countries

Location: John Snow Lecture Theatre, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT.

The lecture is free to attend, but please email to Rachael Parker (Rachael.Parker@lshtm.ac.uk) to reserve a place.

Please click here for further details.

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