Assessment of a Concentrated, High-Profile Police Operation. No Discernible Impact on Drug Availability, Price or Purity

Displacement of Canada's largest public illicit drug market in response to a police crackdown

“…20,21 Other studies have similarly shown that concentrated police presence tends to displace drug-use activities and associated crime to neighbouring areas. 22,23,25,26 Our results probably explain reports of increased injection drug use, drug-related crime and other public-order concerns in neighbourhoods where activities related to illicit drug use and the sex trade emerged or intensified in the wake of the crackdown. 27,28 Such displacement has profound public-health implications if it "normalizes" injection drug use among previously unexposed at-risk youth.…”

“…Larger crackdowns in the United States, which often involved helicopters to supplement foot and car patrols, have not had measurable benefits and have instead been associated with substantial health and social harms. 5,22,24,32,34 There are several limitations to our study. As previously discussed, 16 the subjects in VIDUS are not a random sample, although they are believed to represent IDUs in Vancouver.…”

“…9,[22][23][24] Although evidence suggested that police presence made it more difficult to obtain drugs, this appeared to be explained by displacement of drug dealers. 20,21 Other studies have similarly shown that concentrated police presence tends to displace drug-use activities and associated crime to neighbouring areas.…”

The Impact of Human Rights Violations and Perceptions of Discrimination on Health Service Utilization Among Injection Drug Users in Delhi, India

“…Much of this success can be attributed to the ability of these programs to function without governmental restrictions or police intervention. Evidence shows that police activities indeed result in decreased uptake of voluntary drug user treatment and needle exchange services, increases in needle sharing, unsafe injecting, and improper disposal of needles (Aitken, Higgs, Kersall, & Kerger, 2002;Best, Beswick, & Gossop, 2001;Bluthenthal, Kral, Erringer, & Edlin, 1999;Darke, Topp, Kaye, & Hall, 2002;Maher & Dixon, 1999;Rhodes et al, 2003;Weatherburn & Lind, 1997). While most of this evidence comes from higher-income country settings, there is not much known about the impact of harsh drug control measures on the use of services in lower-and middle-income settings with injection-driven HIV epidemics.…”

Assessing UK drug policy from a crime control perspective

“…In the first 14 days, drugs with a street value of £1.5 million were seized and over 240 people arrested. However, interviews with drug users found that there were few changes in drug availability, price or use (Best et al, 2001). Another example is provided by the Derbyshire Drug Market Project.…”