Swensen, Isaac D.2015-07-132015-07-132015-02Swensen, Isaac D. "Substance-Abuse Treatment and Mortality." Journal of Public Economics 122 (February 2015): 13-30. doi:10.1016/j.jpubeco.2014.12.008.0047-2727https://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/9182Drug-overdose deaths, which have more than doubled over the past decade, represent a growing public-health concern. Though substance-abuse treatment may be effective in reducing drug abuse, evidence for a causal effect of treatment on drug-related mortality is lacking. I analyze the effect of substance-abuse treatment on mortality by exploiting county-level variation in treatment facilities driven by facility openings and closings. The estimates indicate that a 10% increase in facilities lowers a county's drug-induced mortality rate by 2%. The estimated effects persist across individual and county characteristics and further indicate that spillovers of treatment reduce other related causes of death.EconomicsDrug abusePublic healthArticle