*This is an archive page. The links are no longer being updated.
1992.10.23 :  DAWN Data

Contact: Jim Helsing (301) 443-8956
October 23, 1992

     HHS Secretary Louis W. Sullivan, M.D., today released
quarterly data from the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) showing
that "an aging cohort of drug users over 35 appears to be having
more and more health emergencies."
       The aging drug users helped boost drug-related episodes 7.7
percent in a year in these latest statistics, a rise from 97,900 in
the first quarter of 1991 to 105,400 in the first quarter of *This is an archive page. The links are no longer being updated.
1992.
       "The data particularly show," Secretary Sullivan said, "that
the proportion of total heroin-related emergency room episodes
involving people 35 and older has been increasing."  
       In 1988, the over-35 age group accounted for 41 percent of
the total; in 1990, for 47 percent; and in the first quarter of
1992 for 50 percent. The DAWN data for cocaine episodes show a
similar trend: 21 percent in the over-35 age group in 1988, 29
percent in 1990 and 33 percent in the first quarter of *This is an archive page. The links are no longer being updated.
1992.
       "What all this means is that the universe of those who have
severe addictions appears to be aging. At the same time, our
preliminary field results from the 1992 Household Survey point to
continued declines in casual cocaine use, especially among 
adolescents. Therefore, the challenge is to get our addict
population into treatment. For three consecutive years the Congress
has failed to fully fund the President's treatment budget. This
time, I hope Congress gets the wakeup call."
       James Mason, M.D., HHS assistant secretary for health and
head of the U.S. Public Health Service, said, "Our kids appear to
be better at keeping off drugs than were past generations of teens.
But, especially with heroin, there is a group of older users who
got hooked as teen-agers -- and who still can't stay away from
drugs in their 30s, 40s and even 50s despite the fact that they are
getting into more and more medical trouble as a result."
       The "aging cohort" that is having frequent emergencies
contributed to:
     -- Heroin-related emergencies that were 17.8 percent higher in
the first quarter of 1992 (9,900) than in the first quarter of 1991
(8,400), although at about the same level as the first quarter of
1990.
     -- Cocaine-related emergencies that were 34.8 percent higher,
rising from 22,300 in the first quarter of 1991 to 30,l00 in the
first quarter of *This is an archive page. The links are no longer being updated.
1992.  For those over age 35, cocaine emergencies
increased by 51 percent, from about 7,000 to 10,000.  For those
under age 35, cocaine emergencies increased 28 percent, from about
16,000 to 20,000.
       Taking a longer view, between 1988 and 1991, cocaine-related
emergencies increased by 44 percent for those over age 35 (from
about 22,000 to 31,000), while they decreased by 11 percent for
those under 35 (from about 80,000 to 71,000).
       DAWN is a continuing, large-scale survey that collects data
on drug-related emergencies in a random sample of hospitals
nationwide and in 21 metropolitan areas.  DAWN data reflect
estimates of "consequences" of drug use and are not a precise
indicator of drug use.
       Secretary Sullivan said that besides the "aging cohort"
factor, "reliable information indicates that the purity of heroin
available in the United States during the study quarter was up,
which could also contribute to the emergency data."
       He noted that when third quarter 1991 DAWN data warned of
emergency room increases, several steps were taken that "we now see
were appropriate and necessary":
     -- A two-phased Heroin Initiative was undertaken providing
awards of nearly $4.5 million to expand heroin abuse treatment
capacity in New York City, Newark, Baltimore, Detroit, Seattle and
Los Angeles. Secretary Sullivan said meetings with representatives
of other cities with increased heroin use-related episodes will
develop further strategies to address the problem in these
additional localities.

       In addition, there have been:
     -- The award of $8 million at the end of fiscal year 1992 to
expand community treatment programs in 23 metropolitan areas where
more capacity is needed.
     -- The award of $2 million in treatment and prevention
services in Los Angeles as part of President Bush's "Weed and Seed"
program aimed at reducing crime and improving health and social
services in high-risk areas of the nation's cities.
     --  The award of $10 million to support outreach services by
33 community projects to help substance abusers who are at highest
risk for HIV infection.
       Dr. Mason stated that the DAWN data "underscore the need to
increase the treatment slots available."  He added:
       "Congress did not give us what we needed for treatment.
However, approximately $100 million more for drug abuse-related
activities will be added to the budget of the Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration for fiscal 1993, which
started Oct. 1.   This includes funds to add more than 7,500
treatment slots, providing for the treatment needs of more than
21,000 substance abusers."
       The National Institute on Drug Abuse conducted DAWN
beginning in 1974 but the data and responsibility were transferred
to the new Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) Oct. 1.   NIDA and SAMHSA are parts of the
U.S. Public Health Service within HHS.
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