OxyContin reformulation and drug-related-arrest rates, property-related crimes, child maltreatment and food pantry participation
Persistent URL
Author(s)
Zhao, Hang
Allegheny College
Sun, Xiaohan
Allegheny College
Date Issued
March 27, 2026
Abstract
Background: Many policies at the federal and state level have been implemented to curb the opioid crisis. A signature policy, the OxyContin reformulation, was introduced in 2010. However, an increasing body of research has documented negative impacts of the OxyContin reformulation, such as a rise in heroin use and overdose deaths.
Objective: This study evaluates other unintended impacts of the OxyContin reformulation on the arrest rates for drug abuse violations, the arrest rates for drug offenses, the rates for property related crimes, child maltreatment and food pantry participation rate.
Methods: A difference-in-differences framework, event study specifications, and a state-year-level representative longitudinal sample to exploit cross-state variation in the OxyContin misuse rate prior to the reformulation. All specifications include state and year fixed effects, as well as state-level time-varying covariates, including demographic composition (e.g., population shares ages 0–19, 20–39, and 65+) and relevant state policy indicators.
Results: We find evidence consistent with a positive causal relationship between the OxyContin reformulation, arrest rates for drug abuse violations, and rates for motor vehicle theft.
Conclusion: Findings indicate that future drug policies should more carefully consider the various needs of opioid users and potential negative externalities following the implementation of new policies.
Journal
Frontiers in Pharmacology
Citation
Zhao H and Sun X (2026) OxyContin reformulation and drug-related-arrest rates, property-related crimes, child maltreatment and food pantry participation. Front. Pharmacol. 17:1681241. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2026.1681241
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Version of Article
Version of Record
DOI
10.3389/fphar.2026.1681241
ISSN
1663-9812
Rights
© 2026 Zhao and Sun. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Type of Publication
Journal Article
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