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Date: Tuesday, November 7, 1995
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: SAMHSA Press Office (301) 443-8956

Cocaine was mentioned in approximately 28 percent of drug-related emergency department episodes last year and appears to be the primary cause for the increase in total drug-related emergency department episodes since the mid 1980s.

Other findings from the DAWN -- the Drug Abuse Warning Network -- include:

• There was no change in the number of heroin-related emergency department episodes from 1993 to 1994 after a steady increase from 1990 to 1993.

• Methamphetamine-related episodes, involving drugs commonly referred to as "speed," "crank" and "ice," increased by 75 percent from 1993 to 1994. Since 1991, methamphetamine-related episodes have risen 256 percent, from 4,900 in 1991 to 17,400 in 1994. These increases follow on a decrease in such episodes from 1988 to 1991. While most activity occurred in the western region, methamphetamine abuse also appears to be increasing in the south and midwest.

• Between 1993 and 1994, marijuana/hashish-related emergency department episodes increased by 39 percent -- only 21 percent of these episodes mentioned marijuana/hashish alone. Since 1990, marijuana/hashish-related episodes have increased 155 percent; use of marijuana/hashish alone accounted for 24 percent of the increase.

• Overall, drug-related episodes increased by 10 percent in 1994. This increase in drug-related episodes fits into a consistent pattern of annual increases of 6 to 10 percent since 1991. However, there was a 17 percent increase of such episodes among persons aged 12-17 years.

"These findings make it clear that drug prevention and treatment are everybody's business," HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala said. "All of us must send a clear and consistent message: Drug use is illegal, dangerous, unhealthy and wrong. At a time when it appears there is a resurgence in cocaine-related emergency department episodes, we can not afford to cut prevention and treatment funding," Shalala continued.

Dr. Lee P. Brown, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, added: "The new DAWN survey sharply demonstrates why we need full funding for the President's national drug strategy instead of the proposed congressional drug budget cuts."

The results reported show that the use of illicit drugs continues to place an increasing burden on hospital emergency departments. Drug users often use emergency departments for primary care of chronic medical conditions including AIDS, active hepatitis, abscesses, anxiety and depression.

"The DAWN data highlights the ongoing need for treatment and prevention demonstration programs," said Nelba Chavez, SAMHSA administrator. "To confront new and emerging drug problems, like methamphetamine abuse, we need new strategies. Demonstration programs provide the vital information to help our treatment and prevention strategies evolve to face new challenges," Chavez said.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration conducts the DAWN survey. SAMHSA, an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services, is the federal government's lead agency for substance abuse and mental illness prevention and treatment.

The DAWN report is the primary source of statistical information on the use of emergency departments in the United States for the treatment of drug-related health problems. DAWN is a national probability survey conducted annually by SAMHSA to provide information on the impact of drug use on hospital emergency departments in the United States. It reports the number of episodes in which a person's visit to the emergency department was directly related to the use of an illegal drug or the non-medical use of a legal drug, including suicide attempts.

Demographics

Age: From 1993 to 1994, the total number of drug-related episodes rose by 17 percent for persons aged 12-17 years (50,000 to 58,700), 11 percent for those aged 18-25 years (98,300 to 109,300), 7 percent for those aged 26 to 34 years (138,600 to 148,900) and 10 percent for those aged 35 years and over (171,300 to 188,000).

In 1994, 29 percent of total drug-related episodes occurred among persons aged 26-34 years while 26 percent occurred among persons aged 35-44 years.

Since 1988, cocaine-related episodes for persons aged 35-44 years more than doubled.

Race/Ethnicity: From 1993 to 1994, total drug-related episodes increased by 12 percent for blacks (126,900 to 141,700) and by 11 percent for whites (245,200 to 272,300). There was no statistically significant change for Hispanics.

Gender: Total drug-related episodes increased by 12 percent for men (231,700 to 259,700) and 9 percent for women (224,500 to 244,400) from 1993 to 1994. Total drug-related episodes have been evenly split between men and women since 1988.

Total Drug-Related Emergency Room Episodes

The rate of drug-related episodes per 100,000 population increased 32 percent from 167 in 1990 to 221 in 1994. The rate per 100,000 emergency department visits rose 31 percent during that same period from 451 to 591.

Between 1993 and 1994, 12 of the 21 metropolitan areas covered in DAWN had statistically significant increases in the estimated number of drug-related emergency department episodes.

The most frequently recorded reason for a drug-related emergency department visit was "overdose" which composed 51 percent of all episodes and increased by 16 percent since 1991. "Unexpected reaction," "chronic effects" and "seeking detoxification" were reported as reasons for the visit in 13 percent, 11 percent and 10 percent of cases, respectively, in 1994.

In addition to "suicide attempt or gesture," "dependence" and "recreational use" were reported as motives in 32 percent and 8 percent, respectively, in 1994.