Supply-Side Disruption in Cocaine Production Associated With Cocaine-Related Maternal and Child Health Outcomes in the United States

The study analyzed monthly counts of maternal and neonatal stays from January 2002 through December 2013 by using a quasi-experimental interrupted time series design. It estimated the pre-regulation linear trend, post-regulation change in linear trend, and abrupt change in level. The study found that the number of monthly cocaine-related maternal and neonatal stays decreased by 221 and 128 stays, respectively, following the cocaine precursor regulation change. It also observed a further decline in per-month maternal and neonatal stays of 18 and 8 stays, respectively. The overall conclusion is that supply-side disruption in the United States cocaine market was associated with reduced hospital stays for two vulnerable populations: pregnant women and newborns. Results support findings that federal precursor regulation can positively reduce cocaine availability in the United States. (Publisher abstract modified)