Document Type
White Paper
Publication Date
10-2025
Abstract
Existing literature provides ample evidence of the detrimental impact of de-unionization on various determinants of individual health. However, there is a lack of direct empirical research linking de-unionization to objective health outcomes. By leveraging the differential timing of Right-to-Work law implementation across four states in the United States, we quantify the role of union presence in opioid misuse. Using a synthetic control method, our analysis reveals a persistent decline in unionization rates in the affected states within 4-6 years of RTW enactment. This reduction precipitated a considerable increase in both nonfatal and fatal overdoses, as measured by opioid-related treatment admissions and overdose deaths. No similar trends are found for non-opioid drugs. Furthermore, the adverse effects of opioid misuse were concentrated among working-age males and appeared to be mediated by several workplace-specific risk factors of opioid addiction, including increased occupational hazards, reduced wages, extended working hours, and greater work-related stress.
Copyright Statement
(c) 2025, the authors. All rights reserved.
Publication Information
Chen, Kelly and Islam, Samia. (2025). "Anti-Union Regulation and the Opioid Crisis". [White paper]. Boise State University.