Table 1:

Summary statistics on new spells

A. Extensive margin	Hazard rate
New fill	0.011
B. Initial prescription characteristics	Mean	Median	90th percentile
Days supply	6.38	4	12
Days MED	49.83	25	90
Pills per days supply	6.52	6	10
Long acting	0.01
Prescriber type
Physician	0.57
Primary care provider	0.20
Surgeon	0.13
Pain specialist	0.002
Dentist	0.14
Nurse practitioner	0.03
Physicians’ assistant	0.05
Unknown	0.18
C. Spell characteristics	Mean	Median	90th percentile
Days supply	10.90	5	26
Daily MED	114	30	160
Number of fills	1.47	1	3
Greater than 1 fill	0.27
Number of prescribers	1.18	1	2
D. Dangerous use indicators (within 90 days of Rx)	Mean
≥ 90 days supplied	0.014
≥ 120 daily MED	0.001
≥ 3 prescribers	0.027
Overlapping opioid claims	0.033
Concurrent benzodiazepine	0.071
E. Dangerous use indicators (within 270 days of Rx)	Mean
≥ 270 days supplied	0.006
≥ 120 daily MED	0.001
≥ 3 prescribers	0.071
Overlapping opioid claims	0.044
Concurrent benzodiazepine	0.080
Count of new spells	10,292,576

Table reports summary statistics for new spells. Sample is limited to spells following a period of 12 or more months of non-use, among cancer-free people continuously enrolled for the 12 months prior to the spell starting, and for the three months after the spell starts. We report dangerous use indicators conditional on opioid use. Data in panel E, indicators of dangerous use within 270 days of a prescription, are from those patients that are continuously enrolled for at least ten months following their initial prescription.