Drug Abuse Warning Network, 2007: 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 2007 and were reported by participating ME/Cs to DAWN. In selected tables, data from reporting year 2006 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.
The mortality component of DAWN does not rely on a statistical sample of ME/Cs. Findings cannot be considered representative of ME/Cs that did not participate, and results cannot be extrapolated to the United States as a whole. DAWN mortality data for 2003 and later are not comparable to mortality data for any years prior to 2003 because of changes introduced in the 2003 reporting year.