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Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH

Drug-related deaths reported to DAWN 596
Drug-related suicide deaths reported to DAWN 63
Metro area population, 2006 4,455,217
Population covered by DAWN 4,455,217
Percent of population covered by DAWN 100%

Metro area overview: Deaths and population by county, 2006
Metro area component Drug-related Drug-related suicide Population
Deaths Rate Deaths Rate
Total participating (7) 596 13.4 63 1.4 4,455,217
1. Essex County, MA 109 14.8 14 1.9 735,958
2. Middlesex County, MA 161 11.0 24 1.6 1,467,016
3. Norfolk County, MA 68 10.4 7 1.1 654,753
4. Plymouth County, MA 59 12.0 4 0.8 493,623
5. Suffolk County, MA 165 24.0 9 1.3 687,610
6. Rockingham County, NH 24 8.1 5 1.7 296,267
7. Strafford County, NH 10 8.3 0 0.0 119,990

Deaths by manner of death, 2006
Suicide 9.6%
Homicide 0.0%
Could not be determined 4.2%
Accidental 82.4%
Natural 3.8%

Place of death, 2006
Drug-related Deaths
Health care facility 162
Home 325
Public place 17
Other 47
Not documented 45

Drug-related suicide Deaths
Health care facility 14
Home 34
Public place --
Other 9
Not documented 4

Top 5 drugs involved: Drug-related deaths, 2006
Drug category Single-drug
deaths
Multi-drug
deaths
Total
Opiates/opioids 124 312 436
Cocaine 62 182 244
Alcohol 0 128 128
Antidepressants 11 89 100
Benzodiazepines 3 62 65

Top 5 drugs involved: Drug-related suicide deaths, 2006
Drug category Single-drug
deaths
Multi-drug
deaths
Total
Antidepressants 9 18 27
Opiates/opioids 5 15 20
Misc. anxiolytics, sedatives, and hypnotics 4 8 12
Benzodiazepines 0 12 12
Alcohol 0 12 12

Death rates by gender and age: Drug-related, 2006
Gender Deaths per 100,000 population
Male 19.1
Female 8.0

Age Deaths per 100,000 population
Under 21 1.2
21 to 34 18.3
35 to 54 26.7
55 and over 5.1

Death rates by gender and age: Drug-related suicide, 2006
Gender Deaths per 100,000 population
Male 1.2
Female 1.6

Age Deaths per 100,000 population
Under 21 0.3
21 to 34 1.5
35 to 54 2.2
55 and over 1.6

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 564 596 219 56 63 23
Alcohol* 176 128 0 16 12 0
Cocaine 234 244 62 5 -- 0
Marijuana 10 5 0 0 0 0
Stimulants 7 7 0 0 0 0
Club drugs 4 0 0 0 0 0
Hallucinogens†† 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inhalants 0 4 -- 0 5 --
Antidepressants 57 100 11 20 27 9
Antipsychotics 21 21 4 12 9 --
Benzodiazepines 58 65 -- 6 12 0
Misc. anxiolytics, sedatives, and hypnotics 9 24 -- 5 12 4
Opiates/opioids 419 436 124 15 20 5
– Heroin (specified) 101 29 6 0 -- --
– Methadone 74 117 36 -- 4 --
– All other opiates/opioids 273 335 82 15 15 --
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents -- 0 0 -- 0 0
Salicylates/combinations 5 0 0 -- -- 0
Misc. analgesics/combinations 11 14 -- 7 5 --
Anticonvulsants 0 5 0 -- -- 0
Muscle relaxants -- -- 0 0 -- 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, 2006 (08/2008 update).

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