June 16, 2008
Contact:	Dave Brown Communications (651) 431-2448			PDF version
DHS drug trends report: Heroin, prescription drug abuse on rise; methamphetamine indicators continue decline Opiate-related admissions to Twin Cities addiction treatment programs increased in 2007, particularly for opiates other than heroin, including prescription narcotics. A report on drug abuse trends released today by the Minnesota Department of Human Services also shows admissions for “other opiates,” mostly prescription pain medications taken orally, accounted for 4.9 percent of total treatment admissions in 2007, compared with 1.4 percent in 2000. "Consistent with national trends, more people are entering treatment for prescription narcotics in the Twin Cities," said Carol Falkowski, director of the DHS Chemical Health Division and author of the report. "Opiate-related deaths have also been rising since 2000 and now outnumber those for cocaine.” Combining Hennepin and Ramsey counties, there were 106 opiate-related deaths in 2007, up from 96 in 2006. This compares with 70 cocaine-related deaths and 13 involving methamphetamine. Methamphetamine (meth) abuse and addiction showed continuous signs of decline in 2007, in the wake of rising indicators from 2000 through 2005. Only 6.7 percent of admissions to Twin Cities area addiction treatment programs were for methamphetamine in 2007, compared with nearly 12 percent in 2005. Methamphetamine-related accidental deaths, use among high school students and meth labs declined as well. Treatment admissions with cocaine as the primary substance problem also declined and accounted for 11.6 percent of total treatment admissions in 2007, compared with 13.8 percent in 2006. While the actual number of admissions for cocaine declined 30 percent since 2005, cocaine-related deaths increased, with 70 in 2007, compared with 61 in 2006 (Hennepin and Ramsey counties combined). The report also found: • Marijuana use increased to 33 percent of high school seniors in 2007, compared with 29.2 percent in 2004, although declines were seen for grades nine and six. • Cocaine treatment admissions are gradually declining. • Marijuana continued to account for more admissions to addiction treatment programs than any other illicit drug, with 3,067 admissions that represent 16.1 percent of total admissions in 2000. • Ecstasy use rose from 4.3 percent in 2004 to 5.7 percent in 2007. • LSD use rose from 4.9 percent in 2004 to 6.2 percent in 2007 among Twin Cities metropolitan The report was prepared as part of an epidemiological drug abuse-monitoring network comprised of drug abuse researchers in 20 U.S. cities that is convened by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Falkowski has written a report on Twin Cities drug abuse trends twice annually since 1986. A copy of the report is available on the DHS Web site. Note to editors and producers: Carol Falkowski is available for interviews about the drug trends report. Call David Brown at (651) 431-2448 to arrange for interviews.
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This information is available on the DHS Web site: www.dhs.state.mn.us