Policy Currents | The newsletter for policy people
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** Oct. 12, 2023
Fatal Overdoses Increasing Among People with Less Education

Drug overdose deaths continue to surge in the United States, largely driven by the opioid crisis. A new RAND analysis sheds light on who is most affected.

The study shows that, for people with no college education, the overdose death rate increased from 12 deaths per 100,000 people in 2000, to 82 deaths per 100,000 in 2021. Over a shorter period--from 2018 to 2021--overdose deaths nearly doubled among those without a high school diploma.

Lower educational attainment has historically been associated with drug use and overdose deaths. But these findings suggest that two recent developments--the emergence of fentanyl in street drugs and the COVID-19 pandemic--may have exacerbated this long-standing health disparity.

Understanding who is most affected by overdose deaths provides critical information about how resources, such as access to treatment and preventive medicine like naloxone, should be more effectively allocated.

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Who's Winning the Information War in Ukraine?

In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, many Western media outlets and policymakers have declared that Ukraine is winning the information war. But according to a new RAND report, this may be oversimplifying the issue. The authors find that the effectiveness of each country's influence campaigns depends on context and target audience. For example, campaigns conducted by both Ukraine and Russia may have struggled to overcome the deeply held beliefs of their adversary's audiences, who may be resistant to new information that contradicts their views.

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North Korea and China Aren't the Allies You Think They Are

Former Chinese leader Mao Zedong once described China and North Korea as being "as close as lips and teeth." Despite this history, says RAND's Bruce Bennett, there has been considerable friction between the two countries over the years. Looking ahead, Beijing may determine that growing threats from Pyongyang will destabilize Northeast Asia. And that assessment could lead to key differences between Chinese and North Korean objectives.

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** RAND Recommends
- In an interview on CNBC, RAND's William Courtney explains how the West can support Israel without taking its eye off the ball in Ukraine.
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- Hamas fighters may be using North Korean weapons. This isn't surprising, RAND's Bruce Bennett tells Radio Free Asia: "North Korea is selling things wherever it can to make hard currency."
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- On X, formerly known as Twitter, RAND's Derek Grossman breaks down Indo-Pacific countries' positions on the Israel-Hamas war.
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** Events
Keeping Up with the Joneses: How Can DoD Address Its Technical Talent Shortage?
Monday, October 16 (Washington, D.C., and Online)
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Pardee RAND Admissions Webinar: M.Phil. Overview
Wednesday, October 18, 2023 (Online)
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Policy Lab: What Determines National Competitive Advantage?
Wednesday, October 25, 2023 (Online)
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The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis.

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