According to the 2004 DAWN (Drug Abuse Warning Network) report, out of nearly two million drug-related emergency room visits in 2004, almost 1.3 million were associated with drug misuse or abuse (https://dawninfo.samhsa.gov/files/DAWN2k4ED.htm). This figure includes 495,732 visits associated with non-medical use of pharmaceuticals, and 940,953 drug-related visits that involved illicit drugs or alcohol.


Bill Current, a drug-free workplace guru and consultant for Compliance Information Systems, stated, In particular, the report highlights the national spike in prescription-drug abuse. As a whole, prescription and over-the-counter related emergency room visits topped the list compared with other classifications of drugs.



The DAWN report listed the following breakdown figures for 2004:


495,732 involved prescription drugs;
383,350 involved cocaine;
215,665 involved marijuana;
162,137 involved

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heroin; and
102,843 involved stimulants, including methamphetamines.


The report also demonstrates the tendency toward mixing various drugs, including alcohol. For drug-related visits:


30 percent were for one or more illegal drugs.
25 percent were for pharmaceuticals;
15 percent were for illegal drugs plus alcohol;
10 percent were for pharmaceuticals plus alcohol.


Drug-free workplace programs that ignore prescription drugs in favor of just going after the more obvious illicit substances run the risk of allowing many substance abusers to continue undetected, says Current. Benzodiazepines and barbiturates, two of the most commonly abused prescription drugs, are often not included in a typical workplace drug test. Yet, the DAWN report suggests a need to expand the panel of drugs for

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The DAWN report includes data collected from 417 hospitals and nearly two million emergency-room visits. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) is the federal agency responsible for DAWN.


For more information on drug policies and compliant technology for the drug-free workplace, visit http://www.complianceinfosystems.com