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Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN)

DAWN National Annual Estimates

The National Annual Estimates are produced every year using data from DAWN. The reports have data on key findings from drug-related emergency department visits nationwide. The information is from a single data source.

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2024 Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) National Annual Estimates

Annually, the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) releases nationally representative data on emerging drug trends and characteristics from drug-related emergency department visits. DAWN’s latest annual report includes data from drug-related ED visits in 2024, and is organized into the following sections:

  1. Nationally representative weighted estimates, including percent and rates per 100,000, for all drug-related ED visits by age, sex, race, ethnicity, census region, and quarter
  2. Nationally representative weighted estimates, including percent and rates per 100,000, for the top substances (Alcohol, Cannabis, Opioid, Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Benzodiazepine) involved in drug-related ED visits by age, sex, race, ethnicity, census region, and quarter
  3. Nationally representative weighted estimates for different types of opioids involved in opioid-related ED visits
  4. Nationally representative weighted estimates for drug-related ED visits involving more than one substance (polysubstance)

In addition to these sections, the final report provides a description of the methodology for the DAWN hospital selection, data collection process, and weighting and analysis procedures.

Frequently Asked Questions

The 2024 report is based on drug related data abstracted from the emergency departments (ED) of 60 participating hospitals.

Findings from the 2024 report can be compared to the 2023 report with caution due to the sample variance.  Weighting methods adjusted for the increase in the number of participating hospitals. The report includes the statistical confidence intervals for reference.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Drug Abuse Warning Network: National Estimates From Drug-Related Emergency Department Visits, 2024. Publication No. PEP25-07-005, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2025. Electronic Access: https://library.samhsa.gov. 

Last Updated: 2/13/2025