title: The frequency of deaths resulting from the use of drugs and chemicals in Los Angeles County.
abstract: A study of the frequency of deaths resulting from the use of drugs and chemicals in Los Angeles County in the period 1947--1980 indicated that there was a substantial increase in the number of such deaths in 1968/69. This trend continued until 1976/77 when the number of deaths decreased, and the declining trend continued until 1979/80. An additional study in the period 1974--1981, based on the analyses of 35 drugs in biological samples taken in autopsies, showed that those drugs were more often present in overdose cases of death than in drug-related cases of death where drugs were not directly responsible fo the occurrence of death. Ethanol and phencyclidine were, however, more frequently found in drug-related cases of death.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000401:mortality; D002140:California; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010623:Phencyclidine Abuse / Q000401:mortality; D011041:Poisoning / Q000401:mortality; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000401:mortality*