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Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH: Essex County, MA

Drug-related deaths reported to DAWN 109
Drug-related suicide deaths reported to DAWN 14
Population 735,958
Drug-related deaths per 100,000 population 14.8
Drug-related suicide deaths per 100,000 population 1.9

Drug-related deaths by drug category, 2005-2006
Drug category Drug-related Drug-related suicide
Deaths, 2005 Deaths, 2006 Single-drug
deaths, 2006
Deaths, 2005 Deaths, 2006 Single-drug
deaths, 2006
* Includes alcohol in combination with other drugs (all ages) and alcohol alone in decedents under age 21.
Includes MDMA (Ecstasy), GHB, flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), and ketamine.
†† Includes PCP, LSD, and miscellaneous hallucinogens.
ALL DRUGS 116 109 35 11 14 6
Alcohol* 40 28 0 5 -- 0
Cocaine 47 46 9 -- -- 0
Marijuana -- 0 0 0 0 0
Stimulants 0 -- 0 0 0 0
Club drugs 0 0 0 0 0 0
Hallucinogens†† 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inhalants 0 -- -- 0 -- --
Antidepressants 12 18 0 7 7 --
Antipsychotics -- -- 0 -- -- --
Benzodiazepines 17 12 0 -- -- 0
Misc. anxiolytics, sedatives, and hypnotics -- 9 -- 0 -- --
Opiates/opioids 86 84 23 -- 5 --
– Heroin (specified) 24 8 0 0 0 0
– Methadone 20 25 9 0 0 0
– All other opiates/opioids 51 58 14 -- 5 --
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents 0 0 0 -- 0 0
Salicylates/combinations -- 0 0 0 0 0
Misc. analgesics/combinations -- -- -- -- 0 0
Anticonvulsants 0 0 0 -- 0 0
Muscle relaxants -- -- 0 0 -- 0

Deaths by manner of death, 2006
Suicide 11.4%
Homicide 0.0%
Could not be determined 5.7%
Accidental 81.3%
Natural 1.6%

Place of death, 2006
Drug-related Deaths
Health care facility 32
Home 59
Public place --
Other 6
Not documented 9

Drug-related suicide Deaths
Health care facility --
Home 11
Public place 0
Other --
Not documented 0

Death rates by gender and age: Drug-related, 2006
Gender Deaths per 100,000 population
Male 19.4
Female 10.5

Age Deaths per 100,000 population
Under 21 0.5
21 to 34 26.5
35 to 54 29.8
55 and over 4.4

Top 5 drugs involved: Drug-related deaths, 2006
Drug category Single-drug deaths Multi-drug deaths Total
Opiates/opioids 23 61 84
Cocaine 9 37 46
Alcohol 0 28 28
Benzodiazepines 0 12 12
Antidepressants 0 18 18

End Notes
1. Drug-related deaths exclude suicides.
2. All death rates are per 100,000 population.
3. -- A number less than 4 has been suppressed.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, SAMHSA, Drug Abuse Warning Network, 2006 (08/2008 update).

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