ER VISITS TIED TO DRUG ABUSE ROSE LAST YEAR

WASHINGTON -- Emergency room visits following drug use rose past
600,000 to a record level last year as heroin-related visits jumped
sharply and those involving ecstasy increased more than 50 percent.

A survey of hospital emergency rooms in 21 cities showed increases in
drug-related visits in seven localities and declines in two with the
rest remaining about the same as the year before, the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration reported Wednesday.

"This report shows again that we face serious gaps in preventing and
treating substance abuse, especially with club drugs," said Health
and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson.