TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of Canadian federal methamphetamine precursor and essential chemical regulations on methamphetamine-related acute-care hospital admissions
AU - Callaghan, Russell C.
AU - Cunningham, James K.
AU - Victor, J. Charles
AU - Liu, Lon Mu
N1 - Funding Information:
This project was supported by an institutional grant from the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (Ontario) to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).
Funding Information:
Matt Boire provided invaluable help in formatting the manuscript and the references. The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) graciously provided the anonymized patient data for this study. This study has been supported by a grant from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the Ministry.
PY - 2009/12/1
Y1 - 2009/12/1
N2 - Background: In response to its domestic methamphetamine problems and an emerging international consensus that methamphetamine precursor and essential chemicals should be controlled, Canada regulated its import/export of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine (precursor chemicals) in January 2003, its domestic distribution of those chemicals in July 2003, and its import/export and manufacturing of essential chemicals (e.g., toluene) in January 2004. This study examines the regulations' impact on the problem of methamphetamine-related hospital admissions in Canada. Methods: ARIMA-based intervention time-series analysis was used to assess impacts on monthly counts of Canada's methamphetamine-related acute-care hospital admissions (04/1996 to 03/2005). Cocaine-, heroin/opioid-, and alcohol-related hospital admissions were examined as quasi-control time-series. Results: No impact was found for the January 2003 regulation. The July 2003 and January 2004 regulations were associated with 20% and 21% increases, respectively, in methamphetamine-related admissions. No impacts on the quasi-control time-series were found. Conclusions: This study indicates that Canada's regulations were not associated with reductions in methamphetamine-related hospital admissions. The January 2003 regulation's focus on imports/exports rather than domestic distribution may help explain its lack of impact. In contrast, the two other regulations had salient domestic foci - domestic precursor sales (July 2003) and domestic essential chemical manufacturing (January 2004). Both regulations, however, were associated with increases in admissions, rather than declines. Government reports indicate that a shift in methamphetamine production, from smaller-scale operators to more sophisticated crime organizations (groups better able to circumvent the regulations), occurred around the times of the regulations. Such a shift could increase supply and possibly admissions.
AB - Background: In response to its domestic methamphetamine problems and an emerging international consensus that methamphetamine precursor and essential chemicals should be controlled, Canada regulated its import/export of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine (precursor chemicals) in January 2003, its domestic distribution of those chemicals in July 2003, and its import/export and manufacturing of essential chemicals (e.g., toluene) in January 2004. This study examines the regulations' impact on the problem of methamphetamine-related hospital admissions in Canada. Methods: ARIMA-based intervention time-series analysis was used to assess impacts on monthly counts of Canada's methamphetamine-related acute-care hospital admissions (04/1996 to 03/2005). Cocaine-, heroin/opioid-, and alcohol-related hospital admissions were examined as quasi-control time-series. Results: No impact was found for the January 2003 regulation. The July 2003 and January 2004 regulations were associated with 20% and 21% increases, respectively, in methamphetamine-related admissions. No impacts on the quasi-control time-series were found. Conclusions: This study indicates that Canada's regulations were not associated with reductions in methamphetamine-related hospital admissions. The January 2003 regulation's focus on imports/exports rather than domestic distribution may help explain its lack of impact. In contrast, the two other regulations had salient domestic foci - domestic precursor sales (July 2003) and domestic essential chemical manufacturing (January 2004). Both regulations, however, were associated with increases in admissions, rather than declines. Government reports indicate that a shift in methamphetamine production, from smaller-scale operators to more sophisticated crime organizations (groups better able to circumvent the regulations), occurred around the times of the regulations. Such a shift could increase supply and possibly admissions.
KW - ARIMA
KW - Canada
KW - Ephedrine
KW - Hospitalization
KW - Methamphetamine
KW - Precursor chemical legislation
KW - Pseudoephedrine
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U2 - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2009.06.024
DO - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2009.06.024
M3 - Article
C2 - 19699042
AN - SCOPUS:70349863380
SN - 0376-8716
VL - 105
SP - 185
EP - 193
JO - Drug and Alcohol Dependence
JF - Drug and Alcohol Dependence
IS - 3
ER -