The Opioid Crisis and Drug Policy: How Local Context Shapes Public Opinion

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Abstract

How does exposure to the opioid crisis affect public opinion about criminal justice policy? This
paper uses several data sources to test the relationship between the opioid crisis and support for
marijuana legalization and drug sentencing reform. First, I use county and municipallevel
overdose data and referenda election returns to test whether increased exposure to the opioid
crisis is associated with support for or opposition to marijuana legalization and drug sentencing
reform. Next, I use survey results to consider the relationship between both geographic and
personal experience with opioid usage and support for increasing sentences for drug users.
Through these analyses, this paper sheds new light on the relationship between local context,
personal experience, and public opinion.

Author

• Christopher Chaky, Harvard University