Analysis of drug consumption in Australia using new microeconometric techniques for unit record data. DP 0558433

Using unit-record data, this project provides a thorough analysis of the social, economic and demographic determinants of Australians' consumption of both licit and illicit drugs. The results provide valuable empirical knowledge towards drug policy discussions both in Australia and overseas in a multiple drug industry context. Existing microeconometric techniques unavailable in standard software and hence infrequently used in practice will be examined; new discrete choice models and simulation/Bayesian estimation techniques will be developed. These techniques have widespread potential for applications in a broad spectrum of fields such as health, labour, marketing, natural resource and transport economics.