One-Year Association of Drug Possession Law Change With Fatal Drug Overdose in Oregon and Washington.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Two states modified laws to remove or substantially reduce criminal penalties for any drug possession. The hypothesis was that removing criminal penalties for drug possession may reduce fatal drug overdoses due to reduced incarceration and increased calls for help at the scene of an overdose.

Objective

To evaluate whether decriminalization of drug possession in Oregon and Washington was associated with changes in either direction in fatal drug overdose rates.

Design, setting, and participants

This cohort study used a synthetic control method approach to examine whether there were changes in drug possession laws and fatal drug overdose rates in Oregon and Washington in the postpolicy period (February 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022, in Oregon and March 1, 2021, t

SUBMITTER: Joshi S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10535015 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature