Indexes in Drug Policy Research: A Comprehensive Study
Explore the use of indexes in drug policy research through the creation of distinct indexes on cannabis laws and opioid overdose prevention laws. Discover how these indexes provide a multidimensional analysis of complex issues and enable comparisons across different states or territories. Dive into the construction and analysis of indexes to understand their significance in evaluating drug laws and regulations.
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Presentation Transcript
Are indexes a useful measure for drug policy research? Vivienne Moxham-Hall Supervisors: Professor Alison Ritter and Dr Caitlin Hughes 2018 Postgraduate Research Symposium
What is an index? Multidimensional indicator Combines several different aspects of a complex issue to create a single summable score Combining apples and oranges in order to compare them Thesis investigates indexes via the creation of two distinct indexes 1. Cannabis laws and regulations 2. Opioid overdose prevention laws 2
Index Construction Example: The Australian Cannabis Laws and Regulations Index (ACLRI) Index of Cannabis Laws and Regulations in Australia Prison sentence Fine Threshold quantity License suspension Years Dollars Grams Months Common metric Consumer offences Diversion schemes Cultivation offences Supply offences Weighting Drug Driving offences 3
What can an index of drug laws tell us? Prevalence of cannabis use 60 Harmful Cannabis use 90 50 80 40 70 30 60 20 50 40 10 30 0 28.4 35.12 42.69 49.05 51.03 51.36 55.5 62.3 20 average use >5 cones or bongs 10 Couldn't cut down on cannnabis use in the last 12months every day 0 28.4 35.12 42.69 49.05 51.03 51.36 55.5 62.3 12months ever Linear (average use >5 cones or bongs ) last month last week Linear (Couldn't cut down on cannnabis use in the last 12months) Linear (every day) Linear (12months) Linear (ever) Linear (last month ) Linear (last week) Pros Cons Enables high-level analysis of law platforms across time and place Simple and easy to interpret Too abstract to identify the roles of specific laws is one or all the laws driving the result? 5
Thank you Vivienne Moxham-Hall Email: v.moxham-hall@unsw.edu.au Twitter: @vividity 6
