Bryce Pardo

@brycepardo on Twitter

Policy Researcher

Washington Office

Education

Ph.D. in public policy, University of Maryland; M.A. in Latin American Studies, George Washington University; B.A. in political science, George Washington University

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

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Overview

Bryce Pardo is a policy researcher at the RAND Corporation. His work focuses on drug policy with a particular interest in the areas of cannabis regulation, opioid control, and new psychoactive substance markets. He has over ten years of experience working with national, state, and local governments in crime and drug policy. Recently, he has provided Congressional testimony about his research on illicit supply of fentanyl to several subcommittees within the U.S. House of Representatives. Prior to joining RAND, he served five years as a legislative and policy analyst at the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) within the Organization of American States (OAS) where he worked directly with policymakers and practitioners. He has independently consulted with multi-lateral institutions, including the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Pardo also served as lead analyst with BOTEC Analysis Corporation to support the Government of Jamaica in drafting medical cannabis regulations. His research and academic works have been published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, Addiction, Lancet Psychology, Criminology and Public Policy, and reports for the London School of Economics, UNODC, PAHO, and the National Academy of Sciences. Pardo holds a Ph.D. in public policy from the University of Maryland, College Park and an M.A. in Latin American studies and a B.A. in political science from the George Washington University.

Research Focus

Selected Publications

Bryce Pardo, Jirka Taylor, Jonathan P. Caulkins, Beau Kilmer, Peter Reuter, Bradley D. Stein, Future of Fentanyl, RAND (RR-3117-RC), 2019

Bryce Pardo, Illicit Supply of Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids, RAND (CT-515), 2019

Bryce Pardo, Evolution of the U.S. Overdose Crisis: Understanding China's Role in the Production and Supply of Synthetic Opioids, RAND (CT-497), 2018

Bryce Pardo and Peter Reuter, "Narcotics and Drug Abuse: Foreshadowing of 50 Years of Change," Criminology and Public Policy, 17(2), 2018

Bryce Pardo and Peter Reuter, "Facing fentanyl: should the USA consider trialling prescription heroin?" Lancet Psychiatry, 2018

Bryce Pardo, "Do More Robust Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs Reduce Prescription Opioid Overdose?" Addiction, 2017

Peter Reuter and Bryce Pardo, "Can New Psychoactive Substances Be Regulated Effectively? An Assessment of the British Psychoactive Substances Bill.," Addiction, 2016

Bryce Pardo, "Cannabis Policy Reforms in the Americas: A Comparative Analysis of Colorado, Washington, and Uruguay.," International Journal of Drug Policy, 2014

Languages

Spanish; Portuguese

Recent Media Appearances

Interviews: Aristegui Noticias; Associated Press; Al Jazeera - English; China Daily (U.S. Edition); Frame; PRI, The World; WGBH, Boston

Commentary

Australia Contained COVID-19 Early On. Can It Do the Same with Synthetic Opioids?
Australia is at risk of a fentanyl problem, but it is better prepared than North America. If the country can make the same kind of concerted effort it did to keep COVID-19 at bay, that could save thousands of lives.
Apr 30, 2021 The RAND Blog
Being Mindful About Changing Psychedelic Policy in California
The question for California isn't really if psychedelic policy will change, but more likely how—and how quickly. Now is the time for the California State Legislature to consider holding hearings on psychedelics and creating a commission to assess regulatory options.
Nov 10, 2020 The Sacramento Bee
Want to Know If a New Drug Crisis Is Growing? Check the Wastewater
Few people foresaw how quickly fentanyl would displace heroin, doubling or tripling opioid overdose deaths in some pockets of the United States from 2013 to 2017. But we could have been warned—if only we'd checked our wastewater.
Mar 26, 2020 Scientific American
Synthetic Opioid Crisis Still Growing, Often Among Unwitting Users
Although opioid prescriptions in the U.S. have fallen, opioid overdose deaths remain at historic levels. The continued spread of fentanyl and other illicitly manufactured synthetic opioids suggests the problem could still get worse.
Oct 14, 2019 Axios
Tackle Fentanyl like a Poisoning Outbreak, Not a Drug Epidemic
America's fentanyl problem is far deadlier than past crises with other illegal drugs. New ideas, be they public policies, technologies or law enforcement strategies, are desperately needed. Continuing to treat fentanyl just like previous drug epidemics will likely be insufficient and may condemn thousands more to early deaths.
Sep 3, 2019 Los Angeles Times
China's Ban on Fentanyl Drugs Won't Likely Stem America's Opioid Crisis
Given China's recent decision to ban the unauthorized manufacture of fentanyl, authorities there appear to recognize a growing problem. But China cannot solve the U.S. opioid problem. The United States could do more to reduce demand for opioids as well as drug users' exposure to these powerful drugs.
May 22, 2019 Los Angeles Times
Addressing Federal Conflicts Over Supervised Drug Consumption Sites
With drug overdose deaths mounting, some American cities are trying to create designated spaces where people who use heroin and other drugs can have their consumption supervised by medical professionals. The Department of Justice argues these sites would violate federal law, but federal decisionmakers have several options.
Mar 14, 2019 The Hill

Publications

Report
Afghanistan in the Era of Fentanyl: Considering Potential Economic and Political Impacts of a Collapse in Demand for Afghanistan's Opiates
Afghanistan is the world's largest producer of illegal opium poppy and is a key source for many heroin markets. The authors summarize the economic and political roles of opiates in Afghanistan and discuss the potential impacts of their disappearance.
Jul 26, 2021
Journal Article
Capsule Commentary for Azcarate Et Al., Medical Reasons for Marijuana Use, Forms of Use, and Patient Perception of Physician Attitudes Among the US Population
Commentary on an article by Azcarate et al., assessing U.S. adults' motivations for and perceived physician attitudes towards medical cannabis use.
2020
Journal Article
Illicit Synthetic Opioid Consumption in Asia and the Pacific: Assessing the Risks of a Potential Outbreak
While many illegally manufactured potent synthetic opioids (IMPSO) are produced in Asia, there is little evidence they have entered markets there. We consider the susceptibility to IMPSO's encroachment in markets in the Asia-Pacific region.
Jan 26, 2021
Journal Article
The Dawn of a New Synthetic Opioid Era: The Need for Innovative Interventions
This paper stems from recent research into understanding the past, present and possible futures of synthetic opioids in North America and beyond.
Sep 17, 2020
Journal Article
Systematic Review of the Emerging Literature on the Effectiveness of Naloxone Access Laws in the United States
The existing literature on naloxone access laws in the United States supports beneficial effects for increased naloxone distribution, but provides inconclusive evidence for reduced fatal opioid overdose.
Jul 28, 2020
Journal Article
The State of the Science in Opioid Policy Research
The rigor of study design varies notably across policy categories, highlighting the need for broader adoption of rigorous methods in opioid policy research.
Jul 7, 2020
Draft
Considering the Harms: Drug Supply Indicators
Explores drug supply-oriented policies and interventions, the future challenges of drug policy, and how to improve indicators such that they appropriately incorporate harms.
Apr 23, 2020
Research Brief
Understanding America's Surge in Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids
This brief describes the results of a study about the surge in synthetic opioids in the United States. The authors found that limiting policy responses to existing approaches will likely be insufficient and may condemn many people to early deaths.
Oct 7, 2019
Report
Characterization of the Synthetic Opioid Threat Profile to Inform Inspection and Detection Solutions
Researchers from the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center evaluated publicly available data to better understand consumption and supply of illegally imported synthetic opioids. In this report, they provide their findings and recommendations.
Sep 9, 2019
Report
The Future of Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids
Deaths involving synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, increased from roughly 3,000 in 2013 to more than 30,000 in 2018. This book provides readers with insights intended to improve their understanding of the synthetic opioid problem.
Aug 29, 2019
Testimony
Illicit Supply of Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids: Transitioning Markets and Evolving Challenges: Addendum
Document submitted on August 19, 2019, as an addendum to testimony before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counterterrorism and Subcommittee on Border Security, Facilitation, and Operations on July 25, 2019.
Aug 20, 2019
Report
The Synthetic Opioid Surge in the United States: Insights from Mortality and Seizure Data
The synthetic opioid surge in the United States is a public health emergency. The authors analyze drug overdose mortality and seizure data to better understand the evolution and concentration of the synthetic opioid problem in the United States.
Aug 13, 2019
Journal Article
Supervised Consumption Sites: A Nuanced Assessment of the Causal Evidence
Supervised consumption sites (SCS) operate in more than 10 countries. We review the higher-quality SCS literature and discuss the evidence through the lens of three types of decision makers and from three intellectual perspectives.
Aug 6, 2019
Testimony
Illicit Supply of Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids: Transitioning Markets and Evolving Challenges
Testimony presented before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counterterrorism and Subcommittee on Border Security, Facilitation, and Operations, on July 25, 2019.
Jul 25, 2019
Report
Contemporary Asian Drug Policy: Insights and Opportunities for Change
Changing patterns in drug use and supply can affect the well-being and development of Asian countries in many ways. RAND researchers discuss the shifting drug policy landscape in Asia, with a special focus on the Philippines, Thailand, and China.
May 15, 2019
Draft
Assessing the Evidence on Supervised Drug Consumption Sites
This working paper is part of a series of reports assessing the evidence on and arguments made about heroin-assisted treatment and supervised consumption sites and examining some of the issues associated with implementing them in the United States.
Dec 6, 2018
Report
Considering Heroin-Assisted Treatment and Supervised Drug Consumption Sites in the United States
In this mixed-methods report, the authors assess evidence on and arguments made about heroin-assisted treatment and supervised consumption sites and examine some of the issues associated with implementing them in the United States.
Dec 6, 2018
Testimony
Evolution of the U.S. Overdose Crisis: Understanding China's Role in the Production and Supply of Synthetic Opioids
Testimony presented before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations on September 6, 2018.
Sep 6, 2018

Multimedia

27:26
Preparing for the Future of Fentanyl
Sep 13, 2019
1:56
In Brief: Preparing for the Future of Fentanyl
Sep 13, 2019
1:40
Illicit Supply of Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids
Jul 25, 2019
1:26
Evolution of the U.S. Overdose Crisis
Sep 6, 2018