The
DASIS Report: Characteristics of Primary Prescription and Over-the-Counter
Treatment Admissions, 2002
Highlights:
-
Prescription
drugs in SAMHSA's Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) are grouped as
follows: prescription narcotics (e.g., oxycodone, pentazocine, and
morphine), prescription stimulants (e.g., amphetamines and methylphenidate),
tranquilizers (e.g., diazepam and meprobamate), and sedatives (e.g.,
chloral hydrate and secobarbital). Over the counter (OTC) drugs include
aspirin, cough syrup, and any other medication available without prescription
(e.g., sleep aids, diphenhydramine, and other antihistamines).
-
Of
the more than 78,000 treatment admissions for primary prescription
or OTC drug abuse in 2002, 55% were for prescription narcotics compared
with 43% of the nearly 29,000 treatment admissions for primary prescription
and OTC drug abuse in 1992. Prescription stimulants as the primary
substance increased slightly from 26% to 28% during that period. In
contrast, the proportions of total admissions for primary prescription
or OTC drug abuse for most other prescription type drugs declined
between 1992 and 2002. Tranquilizers declined from 16% to 10%. Sedatives
declined from 13% to 6% and OTC medications declined from 2% to 1%.
- An
additional 100,000 admissions in 2002 listed prescription or OTC drugs
as their secondary or tertiary substances of abuse upon treatment admission.
Other
Data on Specific Drugs
Reports
on Substance Abuse Treatment
Other
Topics
Other
OAS Publications and Services
This Short
Report, The DASIS
Report: Characteristics of Primary Prescription and Over-the-Counter
Treatment Admissions, 2002 , is based on the Drug
and Alcohol Services Information System (DASIS), the primary source
of national data on substance abuse treatment. DASIS is conducted
by the Office of Applied Studies (OAS) in the Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
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