NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE EPIDEMIOLOGIC ...

EPIDEMIOLOGIC TRENDS IN DRUG ABUSE—Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
were caused by the drug; 87 percent of these deaths
involved at least one other drug.
Broward County recorded 57 alprazolam-related
deaths during the first half of 2004, of which 18 (32
percent) were induced by the drug. Only three of the
deaths involved alprazolam alone (exhibit 3). In the
same period, Broward County recorded 60 diazepamrelated
(Valium) deaths, of which 11 (18 percent)
were diazepam induced. All of these cases involved
at least one other drug.
The unweighted DAWN data show that benzodiazepines
accounted for 17 percent of Broward County ED
reports in the first half of 2004 and for 8 percent of the
Miami-Dade County ED reports. In Miami, alprazolam
was involved in 238 (55 percent) of the 431
benzodiazepine reports, clonazepam represented 10
percent of the reports, lorazepam accounted for 6 percent,
and diazepam was involved in 4 percent. Five
other benzodiazepines were involved in the other re-
ports in this category. Thirty-two percent of the patients
were seeking detoxification; 30 percent of the
cases were classified as overmedication; and 38 percent
were related to intentional misuse or abuse of the
medications.
The NFLIS reported that the Miami-Dade Crime lab
analyzed 259 alprazolam exhibits in the 12 months
from October 2003 to September 2004 as well as 14
diazepam exhibits and 6 clonazepam cases.
Nationally, the 2004 Monitoring the Future Survey
reported that current past-30-day use of “tranquilizers”
(which has included “Xanax” as an example since
2001) was reported by 1.2 percent of 8th graders, 2.3
percent of 10th graders, and 3.1 percent of 12th graders.
These percentages reflected a 0.2-percent decrease
for 8th graders from the same survey in 2003, a 0.1percent
decrease for 10th graders, and a 0.4-percent
increase for 12th graders.
For inquiries regarding this report, please contact James N. Hall, Center for the Study and Prevention of Substance Abuse, Up Front Drug
Information Center, Nova Southeastern University, Suite 215, 12360 Southwest 132nd Court, Miami, FL 33186, Phone: (954) 262-3446 or
(786) 242-8222, E-mail: upfrontin@aol.com.
Proceedings of the Community Epidemiology Work Group, Vol. II, January 2005 131