Go to the Table Of Contents

Massachusetts

Drug-related deaths reported to DAWN 912
Drug-related suicide deaths reported to DAWN 100
State population, 2006 6,437,193
Population covered by DAWN 6,437,193
Percent of population covered by DAWN 100%

State overview: Deaths and population by county, 2006
Counties Drug-related Drug-related suicide Population
Deaths Rate Deaths Rate
Total participating (14) 912 14.2 100 1.6 6,437,193
1. Barnstable County 35 15.6 7 3.1 224,816
2. Berkshire County 9 6.9 1 0.8 131,117
3. Bristol County 109 20.0 11 2.0 545,379
4. Dukes County 2 12.9 0 0.0 15,515
5. Essex County 109 14.8 14 1.9 735,958
6. Franklin County 10 13.9 1 1.4 72,183
7. Hampden County 61 13.2 8 1.7 460,520
8. Hampshire County 18 11.7 3 2.0 153,471
9. Middlesex County 161 11.0 24 1.6 1,467,016
10. Nantucket County 0 0.0 0 0.0 10,240
11. Norfolk County 68 10.4 7 1.1 654,753
12. Plymouth County 59 12.0 4 0.8 493,623
13. Suffolk County 165 24.0 9 1.3 687,610
14. Worcester County 106 13.5 11 1.4 784,992

Deaths by manner of death, 2006
Suicide 9.9%
Homicide 0.0%
Could not be determined 4.6%
Accidental 81.6%
Natural 3.9%

Place of death, 2006
Drug-related Deaths
Health care facility 290
Home 447
Public place 24
Other 85
Not documented 66

Drug-related suicide Deaths
Health care facility 22
Home 58
Public place 5
Other 11
Not documented 4

Top 5 drugs involved: Drug-related deaths, 2006
Drug category Single-drug deaths Multi-drug deaths Total
Opiates/opioids 184 485 669
Cocaine 93 301 394
Alcohol 1 204 205
Antidepressants 16 143 159
Benzodiazepines 3 86 89

Top 5 drugs involved: Drug-related suicide deaths, 2006
Drug category Single-drug deaths Multi-drug deaths Total
Antidepressants 13 32 45
Opiates/opioids 7 25 32
Alcohol 0 28 28
Misc. anxiolytics, sedatives, and hypnotics 3 17 20
Antipsychotics 1 17 18

Death rates by gender and age: Drug-related, 2006
Gender Deaths per 100,000 population
Male 20.3
Female 8.5

Age Deaths per 100,000 population
Under 21 1.2
21 to 34 20.0
35 to 54 28.7
55 and over 5.1

Death rates by gender and age: Drug-related suicide, 2006
Gender Deaths per 100,000 population
Male 1.3
Female 1.7

Age Deaths per 100,000 population
Under 21 0.2
21 to 34 1.4
35 to 54 2.7
55 and over 1.8

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 863 912 326 88 100 31
Alcohol* 257 205 -- 29 28 0
Cocaine 356 394 93 15 10 0
Marijuana 15 13 0 0 0 0
Stimulants 6 11 -- 0 -- 0
Club drugs 4 -- 0 0 -- 0
Hallucinogens†† 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inhalants -- 9 6 -- 7 5
Antidepressants 92 159 16 29 45 13
Antipsychotics 30 38 8 17 18 --
Benzodiazepines 75 89 -- 10 14 0
Misc. anxiolytics, sedatives, and hypnotics 14 32 -- 9 20 --
Opiates/opioids 635 669 184 23 32 7
– Heroin (specified) 149 39 11 -- -- --
– Methadone 103 166 42 -- 6 --
– All other opiates/opioids 424 522 131 21 26 4
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents -- 0 0 -- 0 0
Salicylates/combinations 7 -- -- 4 0 0
Misc. analgesics/combinations 13 15 -- 6 6 --
Anticonvulsants -- 4 -- -- 5 0
Muscle relaxants -- 6 0 0 9 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).

Return to the State Profiles TOC

Go to Top of PageGo to the Table of Contents