Amphetamine and Methamphetamine Emergency Department Visits, 1995-2002
The
DAWN Report: Amphetamine and Methamphetamine Emergency Department
Visits, 1995-2002 (PDF format, 198 KB)
Highlights:
- In
SAMHSA's DAWN system, the category of amphetamines includes dextroamphetamine,
methcathinone, and methyldioxyamphetamine. Over 90% of this category is called
simply "amphetamine." Some standard drug screens used in the emergency
departments do not differentiate between amphetamines and methamphetamines; therefore,
they are combined for this report.
- Drug
abuse related emergency department visits involving amphetamines or methamphetamines
increased 54% in the nation (from 25,245 to 38,961 emergency department visits)
between 1995 to 2002. The greatest increases during this period occurred in Newark
(574%), New Orleans (507%) and Baltimore (500%). Large increases also occurred
in St. Louis (283%), Minneapolis (270%), and Miami (233%).
- More
than 60% of emergency department visits involving amphetamines or methamphetamines
also involved other drugs in 2002. Marijuana, alcohol, and cocaine were the most
frequent substances reported in combination with amphetamines or methamphetamines.
- In
2002, the majority of amphetamines or methamphetamines visits involved white patients
(65%) and male patients (58%). More than half of the emergency department visits
involving amphetamines or methamphetamines involved patients aged 18 to 34.
Data
on Other Specific Drugs Other
Topics
Other
OAS Publications and Services
This Short
Report, The DAWN Report: Amphetamine
and Methamphetamine Emergency Department Visits, 1995-2002 (PDF format,
198 KB),
is based on the Drug Abuse Warning
Network (DAWN), the primary source of national data on drug related
emergency department visits. DAWN is conducted by the
Office
of Applied Studies (OAS) in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration (SAMHSA).
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