NCJ Number
199779
Date Published
January 2003
Length
143 pages
Annotation
This report presents data and information on deaths related to drug abuse that were identified and reported by participating death investigation jurisdictions across the United States in 2001 under the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN).
Abstract
Two types of drug abuse deaths are reportable to DAWN, i.e., those that were drug-induced (drugs caused the death) and those that were drug-related (drugs had a contributory role in the death). DAWN cases reflect the number of drug abuse deaths reviewed, identified, and reported by participating medical examiners and coroners in selected metropolitan areas. Although these findings can be used to monitor changes over time, they do not represent the Nation as a whole, nor do they necessarily represent the total number of deaths in which drug abuse was a causal or contributing factor in any given metropolitan area. In 2001, 128 jurisdictions in 42 metropolitan areas submitted data to DAWN. A total of 33 metropolitan areas reported at least 30 drug abuse deaths to DAWN in 2001. The profile for each reporting metropolitan area includes a number of tables that together show the number and characteristics of drug abuse deaths reported to DAWN, along with recent trends among participating jurisdictions. From 2000 to 2001, some metropolitan areas experienced substantial changes in the number of drug abuse cases. Some jurisdictions had significantly more drug abuse deaths while others had fewer drug abuse deaths in 2001 compared to 2000. In every metropolitan area, men composed more than half of all DAWN cases, ranging from 63 percent of drug abuse deaths in Seattle and Salt Lake City to 80 percent of drug deaths in Baltimore. Drug abuse deaths among adolescents and young adults were relatively rare. The most common drugs reported singly were cocaine, heroin/morphine, narcotic analgesics, and marijuana. The most common drug combinations reported were alcohol and cocaine; alcohol and heroin/morphine; cocaine and heroin/morphine; alcohol, cocaine, and heroin/morphine; heroin/morphine and other narcotic analgesics; alcohol and narcotic analgesics; and amphetamines and methamphetamine. The tendency for deaths to involve multiple drugs was evident. In 22 of the 33 metropolitan areas, heroin/morphine, cocaine, and alcohol (in combination with other drugs) were the 3 most frequently mentioned drugs in reported cases. Extensive tables and figures and appended DAWN Medical Examiner Report Form and a glossary of terms