City Nuisance Ordinances and Overdose Mortality

ABSTRACT

Nuisance ordinances are a class of municipal law that are framed as a way to reduce both police burden and unwanted behaviors such as repeated calls to 911, drug‐related activity, and disorderly conduct. This study explores the effect of nuisance ordinances on drug‐related mortality rates in Ohio and surrounding commuting zones from 1999 to 2017. Using a modern difference‐in‐differences framework, I find that these laws cause an increase in opioid‐, alcohol‐, and cocaine‐related overdose mortality. I test for two mechanisms: 911 hesitancy and the eviction process. These results highlight that substance users are being harmed by the presence of nuisance ordinances.