Illicit drug use, unemployment, and occupational attainment

In this paper, we use data from the British Crime Survey (BCS) to examine the effect of illicit drug use on labour market outcomes. We find very little evidence to support any relationship between drug use, hard or soft, and occupational attainment. However, we find compelling evidence to suggest that drug use, particularly the use of opiates, cocaine and crack cocaine, is associated with an increased risk of unemployment, regardless of age or gender.