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The
DAWN Report: Opiate-Related Drug Misuse Deaths in 6
States, 2003
Highlights
- SAMHSA's Drug Abuse
Warning Network (DAWN) collects data on all deaths where drugs played
a role, either directly (e.g., overdose) or indirectly (e.g., fatal
car crash where drugs were involved). Drug misuse death is defined as
a drug-related death caused by overmedication, all other accidental
causes, homicide by drugs, and drug-related deaths where the cause could
not be determined.
- Opiates
include heroin, methadone, oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, Dilaudid,
morphine, Demerol, opium, and any other drug with morphine-like effects.
- Six
States participate in the mortality component of the Drug Abuse Warning
Network: Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah, and Vermont.
The rates of opiate-related drug misuse deaths in 2003 ranged from 7.2
per 100,000 population in New Hampshire to 11.6 per 100,000 population
in New Mexico. In each of these 6 States, most opiate-related drug misuse
deaths involved multiple drugs.
- Three opiate pain medications
as a group (oxycodone, hydrocodone, and methadone) were involved in
40% or more of the opiate misuse deaths in these States. The involvement
of oxycodone ranged from 13% in New Mexico to 30% in Vermont; hydrocodone
ranged from 3% in Maryland to 17% in Utah; and methadone ranged from
17% in New Mexico to 46% in Maine.
Reports
with State level data
Reports
on treatment
Reports on
opiates
Other topics
Other OAS
publications and services
This OAS
Short Report, The
DAWN Report: Opiate-Related Drug Misuse Deaths in 6 States,
2003,
is based on the Drug Abuse Warning
Network (DAWN), conducted by the Office of Applied
Studies (OAS) in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA).
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