Why Illicit Drug Use Is Increasing in Ethiopia? From Economics Perspective of Drug Use Control Policy

Mende Mensa Sorato^1*, Majid Davari², Akbar Abdollahi Asl² & Fatemeh Soleymani²

¹Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacoeconomics and Pharmaceutical Administration Arba Minch University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences Department of Pharmacy
²Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacoeconomics and Pharmaceutical Administration

Dr. Mende Mensa Sorato, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacoeconomics and pharmaceutical Administration Arba Minch University, College of medicine and Health Sciences Department o

Keywords: Drug Use Policy Options; Supply and Demand Reduction; Decriminalization; Risk Reduction; Alternative Drug Control Policies; Ethiopia

Abstract

Background
Use of psychoactive substances is playing a great role for increased disease burden and decline in socioeconomic status in Ethiopia. Drug control policy should address demand, supply and risk of drug use related problems. Despite the implementation of comprehensive national drug control master plan since 2017, the trend of licit and illicit drug use is increasing in Ethiopia. The purpose of this review was to answer the question why illicit drug use is increasing in Ethiopia from Economics perspective of drug use control policy.
Methods
We have reviewed PubMed with search term (“narcotics” OR “narcotics”[MeSH Terms] OR “narcotics” OR “narcotic” AND (“psychotropic drugs”[Pharmacological Action] OR “psychotropic drugs”[MeSH Terms] OR (“psychotropic”[All Fields] AND “drugs”) and we also reviewed available policy options and guidelines of nine countries from developed and developing regions and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime manuals for basic terms and definitions. For basic economics principles we have used Gregory Mankiw. Principles of economics, 7^th edition.

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