SUPPLY‐SIDE RESPONSE TO DECLINING HEROIN PURITY: FENTANYL OVERDOSE EPISODE IN NEW JERSEY
研究了2006年新泽西芬太尼过量事件，发现海洛因纯度波动显著影响芬太尼相关过量，尤其在处方阿片类药物高可得地区，表明供给冲击下卖家可能用芬太尼补偿买家。
The inelastic price demand observations characteristic of illegal drug markets have led to the conclusion that the burden of a negative supply shock would be completely reflected to consumers. This paper argues that the increasing availability of prescription opioids may threaten heroin sellers' profit margin and force them to find alternative methods to compensate buyers in the event of a supply shock. We investigate the 2006 fentanyl overdose episode in New Jersey and argue that the introduction of non-pharmaceutical fentanyl, its spatial distribution, and the timing of overdose deaths may have been related to trends in heroin purity. Using medical examiner data, as well as data from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of Diversion Control on retail sales of prescription opioids in a negative binomial specification, we show that month-to-month fluctuations in heroin purity have a significant effect on fentanyl-related overdoses, particularly in those areas where prescription opioids are highly available.