Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) 2005: National Estimates of Drug-Related Emergency Department Visits, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, March 2007

This report presents the final estimates of drug-related emergency department visits from DAWN for 2005. DAWN is a public health surveillance system that monitors drug-related emergency department visits for the U.S.

• In 2005 there were 108 million emergency room visits in U.S. hospitals.
• 1.4 million of these visits were associated with drug misuse or abuse; 31 percent involved illicit drugs.
• 36 percent involved combinations of illicit drugs, alcohol, and/or pharmaceuticals.
• 27 percent involved only pharmaceuticals.
• Nonmedical use of pharmaceuticals increased 21 percent from 2004 to 2005. Anti-anxiety drugs, prescription pain relievers and methadone were the most frequently mentioned.
• Cocaine was the most frequently cited drug, followed by marijuana, heroin, and stimulants, such amphetamines and methamphetamine.

The full report can be found at: http://dawninfo.samhsa.gov