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Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV


Drug-related deaths reported to DAWN 414
Drug-related suicide deaths reported to DAWN 84
Metro area population, 2008 5,358,130
Population covered by DAWN 5,358,130
Percent of population covered by DAWN 100%

Metro area overview: Deaths and population by county, 2008
Counties Drug-related Drug-related suicide Population
Deaths Rate Deaths Rate
Total participating (22) 414 7.7 84 1.6 5,358,130
1. District of Columbia 173 29.2 21 3.5 591,833
2. Calvert County, MD 11 12.4 2 2.3 88,698
3. Charles County, MD 16 11.4 2 1.4 140,764
4. Frederick County, MD 11 4.9 2 0.9 225,721
5. Montgomery County, MD 40 4.2 11 1.2 950,680
6. Prince George's County, MD 60 7.3 3 0.4 820,852
7. Alexandria City, VA 10 6.9 4 2.8 143,885
8. Arlington County, VA 9 4.3 6 2.9 209,969
9. Clarke County, VA 0 0.0 0 0.0 14,458
10. Fairfax City, VA 2 8.4 0 0.0 23,844
11. Fairfax County, VA 33 3.3 14 1.4 1,015,302
12. Falls Church City, VA 0 0.0 0 0.0 11,169
13. Fauquier County, VA 6 9.0 1 1.5 66,839
14. Fredericksburg City, VA 9 39.4 1 4.4 22,818
15. Loudoun County, VA 4 1.4 2 0.7 289,995
16. Manassas City, VA 3 8.5 1 2.8 35,205
17. Manassas Park City, VA 0 0.0 0 0.0 11,319
18. Prince William County, VA 9 2.5 3 0.8 364,734
19. Spotsylvania County, VA 3 2.5 4 3.3 120,031
20. Stafford County, VA 1 0.8 3 2.5 121,736
21. Warren County, VA 2 5.5 3 8.2 36,663
22. Jefferson County, WV 12 23.2 1 1.9 51,615

Deaths by manner of death, 2008
Suicide 16.9%
Homicide 0.0%
Could not be determined 27.1%
Accidental 42.4%
Natural 13.7%

Place of death, 2008
Drug-related Deaths
Health care facility 150
Home 193
Public place 30
Other 41
Not documented 0

Drug-related suicide Deaths
Health care facility 12
Home 62
Public place 7
Other --
Not documented 0

Top 5 drugs involved: Drug-related deaths, 2008
Drug category Single-drug deaths Multi-drug deaths Total
Opiates/opioids 74 187 261
Cocaine 76 106 182
Alcohol 1 118 119
Benzodiazepines 2 43 45
Antidepressants 2 33 35

Top 5 drugs involved: Drug-related suicide deaths, 2008
Drug category Single-drug deaths Multi-drug deaths Total
Antidepressants 6 32 38
Opiates/opioids 10 23 33
Alcohol 0 27 27
Misc. anxiolytics, sedatives, and hypnotics 3 18 21
Benzodiazepines 0 17 17

Death rates by gender and age: Drug-related, 2008
Gender Deaths per 100,000 population
Male 11.5
Female 4.1

Age Deaths per 100,000 population
Under 21 1.1
21 to 34 7.8
35 to 54 14.1
55 and over 7.1

Death rates by gender and age: Drug-related suicide, 2008
Gender Deaths per 100,000 population
Male 1.6
Female 1.5

Age Deaths per 100,000 population
Under 21 0.0
21 to 34 1.4
35 to 54 2.4
55 and over 2.5

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   414 170   84 25
Alcohol*   119 --   27 0
Cocaine   182 76   -- 0
Marijuana   0 0   0 0
Stimulants   6 --   -- 0
Club drugs†   -- 0   0 0
Hallucinogens††   19 --   -- --
Inhalants   4 --   -- --
Antidepressants   35 --   38 6
Antipsychotics   7 --   10 --
Benzodiazepines   45 --   17 0
Misc. anxiolytics, sedatives, and hypnotics   20 --   21 --
Opiates/opioids   261 74   33 10
– Heroin (specified)   59 22   -- 0
– Methadone   52 13   5 --
– All other opiates/opioids   171 39   30 8
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents   0 0   0 0
Salicylates/combinations   -- --   0 0
Misc. analgesics/combinations   14 --   4 --
Anticonvulsants   0 0   4 0
Muscle relaxants   7 0   6 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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