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Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA


Drug-related deaths reported to DAWN 923
Drug-related suicide deaths reported to DAWN 145
Metro area population, 2008 12,872,808
Population covered by DAWN 9,862,049
Percent of population covered by DAWN 77%

Metro area overview: Deaths and population by county, 2008
Counties Drug-related Drug-related suicide Population
Deaths Rate Deaths Rate
* Area did not participate in DAWN this year.
Total participating (1) 923 9.4 145 1.5 9,862,049
1. Los Angeles County, CA 923 9.4 145 1.5 9,862,049
2. Orange County, CA*         3,010,759

Deaths by manner of death, 2008
Suicide 13.6%
Homicide 0.8%
Could not be determined 2.5%
Accidental 83.1%
Natural 0.0%

Place of death, 2008
Drug-related Deaths
Health care facility 244
Home 402
Public place 129
Other 143
Not documented 5

Drug-related suicide Deaths
Health care facility 23
Home 83
Public place 11
Other 28
Not documented 0

Top 5 drugs involved: Drug-related deaths, 2008
Drug category Single-drug deaths Multi-drug deaths Total
Opiates/opioids 92 430 522
Cocaine 114 217 331
Alcohol 3 326 329
Stimulants 11 153 164
Antidepressants 3 141 144

Top 5 drugs involved: Drug-related suicide deaths, 2008
Drug category Single-drug deaths Multi-drug deaths Total
Antidepressants 1 55 56
Alcohol 0 49 49
Misc. anxiolytics, sedatives, and hypnotics 2 47 49
Opiates/opioids 3 44 47
Benzodiazepines 2 42 44

Death rates by gender and age: Drug-related, 2008
Gender Deaths per 100,000 population
Male 13.3
Female 5.5

Age Deaths per 100,000 population
Under 21 1.1
21 to 34 8.1
35 to 54 17.9
55 and over 10.5

Death rates by gender and age: Drug-related suicide, 2008
Gender Deaths per 100,000 population
Male 1.7
Female 1.3

Age Deaths per 100,000 population
Under 21 0.2
21 to 34 1.2
35 to 54 2.6
55 and over 2.1

Drug-related deaths by drug category, 2007-2008
Drug category Drug-related Drug-related suicide
Deaths, 2007 Deaths, 2008 Single-drug deaths, 2008 Deaths, 2007 Deaths, 2008 Single-drug deaths, 2008
* 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 980 923 242 142 145 25
Alcohol* 304 329 -- 60 49 0
Cocaine 383 331 114 15 17 --
Marijuana 37 27 -- -- 5 --
Stimulants 213 164 11 19 18 4
Club drugs 7 17 0 0 -- 0
Hallucinogens†† 11 6 -- -- 0 0
Inhalants -- 10 -- 7 5 --
Antidepressants 145 144 -- 58 56 --
Antipsychotics 52 49 -- 18 26 --
Benzodiazepines 122 110 -- 34 44 --
Misc. anxiolytics, sedatives, and hypnotics 113 102 -- 40 49 --
Opiates/opioids 527 522 92 51 47 --
– Heroin (specified) 182 167 45 0 -- 0
– Methadone 79 69 12 9 4 0
– All other opiates/opioids 317 350 35 44 43 --
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents 7 7 0 -- 4 0
Salicylates/combinations -- 0 0 4 0 0
Misc. analgesics/combinations 22 13 -- 8 9 --
Anticonvulsants 21 18 0 9 10 0
Muscle relaxants 49 39 -- 9 13 0

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, 2008 (08/2009 update).

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