A multi criteria decision analysis (MCDA) for evaluating and appraising government policy responses to non medical heroin use.

Item request has been placed! ×
Item request cannot be made. ×
loading   Processing Request
Read More Add to Saved list
  • Additional Information
    • Source:
      Publisher: Elsevier Country of Publication: Netherlands NLM ID: 9014759 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1873-4758 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 09553959 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Int J Drug Policy Subsets: MEDLINE
    • Publication Information:
      Publication: 1998- : Amsterdam ; New York : Elsevier
      Original Publication: Liverpool, England : International Journal on Drug Policy,
    • Subject Terms:
      Heroin* ; Public Policy*; Decision Support Techniques ; Government ; Humans ; North America
    • Abstract:
      Background: Globally, non-medical heroin use is generating significant public health and social harms, and drug policy about heroin is a controversial field that encompasses many complex issues. Policy responses to illegal heroin markets have varied from militarized eradication of the opium poppy and harsh punishment of users, to more tolerant harm reduction approaches with decriminalized possession and use.
      Methods: This paper reports the outcomes of a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) on four generic regulatory regimes of heroin: prohibition, decriminalisation, state control and free market. Invited experts on drug harms, addiction, criminology and drug policy developed a comprehensive set of 27 policy outcome criteria against which these drug policy regimes were assessed.
      Results: State control of heroin was identified as the preferred policy option although other policy regimes scored better on specific outcome criteria. The free market model scored better than decriminalisation, with absolute prohibition scoring worst on every criterium. The ranking of the regimes was robust to variations in the criterion-specific weights.
      Conclusion: The implications of these findings for the development of future policy responses to heroin and opioids generally are discussed in detail. Despite increasing overdose deaths and an opioid epidemic in North America, prohibition remains the predominant policy approach to heroin regulation at present. It is hoped that the current paper adds to the discussion of finding a valid regulatory alternative.
      Competing Interests: Declarations of Interest SR is employed by Transform Drug Policy Foundation, a UK-registered charity engaged in advocacy and campaigns for drug policy and law reform, specifically including establishing a just and effective system of regulation for currently illegal or unregulated drugs. AKS is Head of Research at Drug Science, an independent, not-for-profit organisation addressing drug policy. DN is Chair of Drug Science. FM is co-Director of The Loop UK and the Loop AU, harm reduction non profit NGOs, and a founding member of Drug Science. SR and LP are members of Drug Science. The remaining authors have nothing to disclose.
      (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)
    • Contributed Indexing:
      Keywords: Decriminalization; Drug policy; Heroin; Legalization; Multi-criteria decision analysis; Prohibition; Regulation; Regulatory regimes
    • Accession Number:
      70D95007SX (Heroin)
    • Publication Date:
      Date Created: 20210228 Date Completed: 20210805 Latest Revision: 20210805
    • Publication Date:
      20240829
    • Accession Number:
      10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103180
    • Accession Number:
      33640213