The Global Drug Crisis group aims to build an active drug surveillance system and drug policy stringency index that deepens understanding of the global drug crisis, creating a new foundation for effective evaluation and policymaking.

Morbidity and mortality from non-medical drug use continues to rise, costing the U.S. alone $1.5 trillion annually. Yet the global costs of the drug crisis are less understood due to a lack of data, which has hindered the development of effective policies for mitigation and prevention. This group aims to build an active drug surveillance system and drug policy stringency index that deepens understanding of the global drug crisis, creating a new foundation for effective evaluation and policymaking.

Co-leads:

• Maryann Mason, Emergency Medicine, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine
• Lori Ann Post, Emergency Medicine and Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine

Group members:

• Ana Arjona, Political Science, Northwestern Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences
• Alexander Lundberg, Emergency Medicine, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine
• Jay Unick, Assistant Professor, University of Maryland School of Social Work
• Sarah Welch, Director of Evaluation Research, Buehler Center for Health Policy and Economics, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine