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DPRC Insights is a regularly published electronic newsletter that focuses on major drug policy issues.Welcome to the Drug Policy Research Center
Celebrating 20 years of vigorous commitment toward creating a firm, empirical foundation upon which sound drug policies can be built.
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Recent News and Publications
Price of Intoxication: The Case for a Minimum Price for Alcohol
Both the English and Scottish governments have expressed interest in introducing laws setting a minimum price for all alcoholic beverages. Compelling research has found that this could save the taxpayer millions of pounds every year in health, criminal, and other costs.
A Comparison of Two Depressive Symptomatology Measures in Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Clients
The BDI-II and the PHQ-9, two common measures of depression, are appropriate to use with individuals who are also substance abusers. The PHQ-9 may be better for measuring depression among substance abusers than the BDI-II because the PHQ-9 is more sensitive, shorter, easier to administer, and has no per-administration cost.
Technical Assistance as a Prevention Capacity-building Tool
Two-way communication may be the key ingredient in improving the effectiveness of technical assistance provided to community-based prevention programs.
Seven Years Later: Developmental Transitions and Delinquent Behavior for Male Adolescents Who Received Long-Term Substance Treatment
This study examines how developmental transitions may affect high-risk adolescents' involvement in criminal behavior, substance use, and emotional problems.
Analysis of Item Response and Differential Item Functioning of Alcohol Expectancies in Middle School Youths
Improving the measurement of alcohol expectancies can help researchers better assess drinking behavior in preadolescence.
Multiple Trajectories of Peer and Parental Influence and Their Association with the Development of Adolescent Heavy Drinking
Youth who perceived that their parents maintained consistently strong disapproval of substance use throughout adolescence were found to be much more likely to abstain from heavy drinking.
Recanting of Life-Time Inhalant Use: How Big a Problem and What to Make of It
About half of students reporting inhalant use in 7th grade recanted in 8th grade. Of those who changed their reports, about one-third probably made an error in 7th grade, then corrected it, while the other two-thirds were lying.
Q&A: Beau Kilmer on President's National Drug Control Strategy
In an interview with the Harvard Kennedy School, Kilmer offers his thoughts on drug policy and what kind of strategy we might expect from the Obama Administration.
The Dynamics of Deterrence
When punishment capacity is constrained and offenders’ behavior responds to changes in the probability of punishment, a dual-equilibrium "tipping" situation can result. In that case, temporary increases in punishment capacity can lead to lasting changes in violation rates.
The World Heroin Market: Can Supply Be Cut?
Heroin is universally considered the world's most harmful illegal drug. The production and trafficking of opiates have caused crime, disease, and social distress throughout the world, leading many nations to invest billions of dollars trying to suppress the industry. Can the world heroin supply actually be cut, and with what consequences?
Read more about the book at Oxford University Press 
Related DPRC Insight
Promoting Evidence-Based Practices: The Adoption of a Prevention Support System in Community Settings
This study examined the adoption of a prevention support system (PSS) for substance abuse prevention and found that adoption of the PSS occurred through increased exposure, especially via staff training, and that perceptions of the system's complexity moderated this effect.
Simultaneous Recruitment of Drug Users and Men Who Have Sex with Men in the United States and Russia Using Respondent-Driven Sampling: Methods and Implications
The Sexual Acquisition and Transmission of HIV Cooperative Agreement Program examined the role of drug use in the sexual transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from traditional high-risk groups to lower risk groups in three U.S. cities and in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Victimization from Mental and Physical Bullying and Substance Use in Early Adolescence
Study finds an association between victimization from bullying and substance use among middle school students.
Factors Associated with Event-Level Stimulant Use during Sex in a Sampler of Older, Low-Income Men Who Have Sex with Men in Los Angeles
Research investigates stimulant use during sex among older, very low-income men who have sex with men and finds that methamphetamine users may be at greater risk for HIV transmission.
Do Citizens Know Whether Their State has Decriminalized Marijuana?
National survey data indicates that citizens believe they can be jailed for marijuana possession, regardless of whether or not their state has already removed such penalties.
The Effects of Substance Use on Workplace Injuries
Workplace injuries and illnesses are a public-health issue with costs exceeding $100 billion annually in the United States. This paper examines links between workplace injury and substance abuse. A literature review is included, as well as an examination of policies addressing substance use in the workplace, and more.
Alcohol Abuse and Illegal Drug Use Among Los Angeles County Trauma Patients: Prevalence and Evaluation of Single Item Screener
A large proportion of urban center patients abuse alcohol and illegal drugs, factors associated with injury and repeat injury. Use of a one-item screener in the trauma center could help identify which patients might benefit from interventions or more thorough medical assessments.
Creating a Developmentally Sensitive Measure of Adolescent Alcohol Misuse: An Application of Item Response Theory
Seventeen alcohol misuse items were calibrated with item reponse thoery and examined for differential item functioning. The results, and implications and suggestions for future research, are discussed in this article.
Long-Term Effects of Drug Prevention on Risky Sexual Behavior Among Young Adults
Researchers found that young adults who had been exposed to a popular drug abuse prevention program as adolescents were less likely to engage in risky sexual behavior five to seven years later.
The War on Drugs: Methamphetamine, Public Health, and Crime
In 1995, a government effort to reduce the supply of methamphetamine precursors successfully disrupted the methamphetamine market but there is no evidence of substantial reductions in related crime.
Social Capital and The Neighborhood Alcohol Environment
Off-premise alcohol outlets may hinder the development of social capital in neighborhoods.
Drug Treatment for Drug-Abusing Criminal Offenders: Insights from California's Proposition 36 and Arizona's Proposition 200
A number of states have considered laws or ballot initiatives intended to divert drug-abusing criminal offenders into treatment programs instead of prison or jail. This piece focuses on key insights from California's Proposition 36 and Arizona's Proposition 200.
The Global Diversion of Pharmaceutical Drugs
India, a major illicit opiate consumer, is also the sole licensed exporter of raw opium: this unique status may be enabling substantial diversion to the illicit market.
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