Drug Use vs Drug Visibility in Economically Disadvantaged Neighborhoods

Neighborhood level analyses across 41 communities demonstrate that although rates of illicit drug use were nearly identical across all levels of economic disadvantage, the visibility of drugs, in particular, drug sales were six times more likely in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods compared to the least disadvantaged. Often, efforts to ameliorate drug problems in poorer communities conflate substance use with the visibility of drugs.  This study makes clear the need to address the problems associated with the broader drug market served by these communities.  Published in the American Journal of Public Health, 2001, 91, 987-1994. [download]

Other publications from this project:

Tighe, E., Saxe, L., (2006). Community-based Substance Abuse Reduction and the Gap between Treatment Need and Treatment Utilization: Analysis of Data from the Fighting Back General Population Survey. Journal of Drug Issues, 36 , 293-310.

Saxe, L., Kadushin, C., Tighe, E., Beveridge, A., Brodsky, A., Livert, D., & Rinskopf, D. (2006). Community-based prevention programs in the war on drugs: Findings from the Fighting Back demonstration. Journal of Drug Issues, 36 , 261-292.

Saxe, L. & Tighe, E. (1999). The View from Main Street and the View from 40,000 Feet: Can a National Evaluation Understand Local Communities? New Directions in Program Evaluation, 83, 67-86.