NCJ Number
154276
Date Published
Unknown
Length
22 pages
Annotation
Data from several types of official records were used to describe trends in drug abuse in San Diego County (Calif.) from 1986 through 1990.
Abstract
The county had deaths from cocaine overdoses in 1990 and 23 cases in which multiple drugs were found, compared to 9 cocaine overdose deaths and 42 polydrug cases in 1989. Emergency room data from the Drug Abuse Warning Network revealed moderate increases for cocaine from 1986 through 1989; the absolute numbers declined and the percentage attributable to cocaine increased in 1990. Cocaine admissions to County-funded drug treatment programs in 1990 continued to rise. Except for 1987, heroin has been the leading cause of accidental single- cause overdose deaths in the county for the past 5 years, accounting for 26 deaths in 1990. For the past 3 years, heroin has accounted for at least 30 percent of all drug treatment admissions. In 1990, the 10 deaths from accidental overdoses of methamphetamines decreased to the pre-1988 level. Treatment admissions increased to 40 percent of admissions. Emergency room reports indicated a decline in mentions of marijuana, and marijuana accounted for 4 percent of treatment admissions. Alcohol had a major role in most problem indicators. The county recorded more than 4,000 alcohol admissions to county-funded treatment programs and 12,000 to drinking driver programs. Data were also provided on AIDS and on the price, purity, and availability of selected drugs. Tables and figures