How race makes us less punitive on opioid policy

The opioid crisis has not abated, but so far poli…

An episode of the The Science of Politics podcast, hosted by Niskanen Center, titled "How race makes us less punitive on opioid policy" was published on March 21, 2024 and runs 52 minutes.

March 21, 2024 ·52m · The Science of Politics

Summary

The opioid crisis has not abated, but so far policy has remained far less punitive than for prior drug epidemics. Is that because it has been characterized and seen as a “white” drug problem? Could it take a more punitive turn if its connotations change? Tanika Raychaudhuri finds that sympathetic media coverage makes Whites more supportive of treatment over punitive policies for Black and White users, but less so for Black users. Justin de Benedicts-Kessner finds that White and Black Americans are more sympathetic when they see opioid users who look like themselves. Users who got into opioids through prescribed drugs see the least blame.

Episode Description