Drug Abuse Warning Network, 2004: Area Profiles of Drug-Related Mortality

The Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) is a public health surveillance system that monitors drug-related deaths referred to medical examiners and coroners (ME/Cs) in selected metropolitan areas and States. Findings in this publication reflect data on drug-related deaths that occurred during calendar year 2004 and were reported by participating medical examiners or coroners (ME/Cs) to DAWN. In selected tables, data from reporting year 2003 are included for comparison. The Office of Applied Studies (OAS) of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is responsible for DAWN.
Since the mortality component of DAWN does not rely on a statistical sample of ME/Cs, the findings cannot be extrapolated to apply to jurisdictions not participating during 2004. The findings cannot be extrapolated to the United States as a whole. Because of changes introduced to DAWN in 2003, DAWN mortality data for 2004 are only comparable to data for 2003 and should not be compared to mortality data for any prior years.