Ohio Researcher Links Stimulus Money To A Rise In Drug Overdoses

A study released Thursday by Republican Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost suggested there is a link between the distribution of COVID-19 pandemic-related stimulus checks and the high rate of opioid-related overdoses in his state.

The pandemic along with the drug overdoses epidemic in the U.S. has created the “perfect storm” for high rates of overdose deaths, the authors of the study wrote.

“The link between pandemic relief money and opioid overdose deaths is now evident,” Yost said in a statement. “The intent was to help Americans navigate this deadly pandemic but it also fueled a tidal wave of overdoses.”

“Throwing money at a problem isn’t always the best solution,” Yost said. “Let the data be the guide to learn from the past. Addiction is a sickness you can’t cure with just cash.”

The study, based on data from the Ohio Department of Health and conducted by Yost’s Center for the Future of Forensic Science, found that opioid-related overdose deaths increased in Ohio during the second quarter of 2020, coinciding with the distribution of federal stimulus checks. More people died of opioid overdoses in Ohio than at any time since 2010.

The federal stimulus checks meant to aid in the recovery of the #COVID19 pandemic contributed significantly to the record surge in Americans who died of opioid overdoses, according to a study by AG Yost’s Center for the Future of Forensic Science.

The federal stimulus checks meant to aid in the recovery of the #COVID19 pandemic contributed significantly to the record surge in Americans who died of opioid overdoses, according to a study by AG Yost's Center for the Future of Forensic Science.
Details: https://t.co/8tVvZl8pmR pic.twitter.com/QFaW16sVsz

— Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost (@OhioAG) February 17, 2022

The study assessed weekly opioid overdose deaths between January 2018 and August 2020, and showed a significant spike in one particular quarter in 2020. In the first 16 weeks of 2020, the study found that the state’s average weekly opioid overdose deaths was 68.5. During weeks 17-32 of 2020, however, that figure increased sharply.

“The interrupted time series regression analysis indicated more than 203 deaths weekly for weeks 17–32 of 2020 compared to all other weeks,” the study said. “The result of the Granger causality test found that the identified change point (week 16 of 2020) directly influenced the increase in opioid overdose deaths in weeks 17–32 of 2020.”

Between April 2020 and April 2021, over 100,000 Americans died of drug overdoses.

According to the study’s findings, the high number of overdose deaths during the pandemic can be attributed to social isolation, loss of income or housing, decreased access to medications that aid in addiction recovery, and the rapid increase in the production of fentanyl.