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Drug-induced homicide laws and public health

Drug overdose emergency

Policy Primer

Drug overdose deaths have exponentially increased in Arizona and across the country over the past several years. Concerned legislators understandably have a keen interest in laws that might help ease the crisis. Several states have passed or considered drug-induced homicide laws–laws that make it a homicide when a person sells or shares drugs with someone else and the recipient dies from using the drug.

There’s reason to believe that drug-induced homicide laws don’t work and may actually be counterproductive, however. Our policy primer briefly lays out some of the reasons why drug-induced homicide laws may do more harm than good.


Download “Public Health Evidence Against Drug Trafficking
Homicide Laws in Arizona”