CORONER ALARMED BY RISE IN DUPAGE OVERDOSE DEATHS

A record number of accidental deaths in DuPage County in 1999 due to drug
overdoses underscores the increasing popularity and easy access to Ecstasy
and other potentially deadly drugs, according to the DuPage County coroner's
annual report.

"Those drug overdoses instantly jumped out at me," said Coroner Richard
Ballinger. "This is an ongoing tragedy, and it has to be attacked by all
sides."

According to the report, there were 86 accidental deaths last year, 31 due
to drug overdoses. Those 31 deaths are more than twice the number in 1998,
when 15 people died of accidental drug overdoses.

Ballinger said he has been invited over the past year to more than 30
schools to give his perspective on the problem.

"There is a myth out there ... that each kid believes it won't be him who is
killed or hurt by doing something stupid, like taking Ecstasy or a
look-alike," Ballinger said.

The number of accidental deaths last year is the highest in the past decade,
more than 20 greater than the 63 posted in both 1996 and 1997. The
second-largest cause of accidental deaths--falls--has remained constant in
the low 20s.

"I know we can successfully attack this problem, and most of our county,
state and local officials already have started to work on the problem,"
Ballinger said. "Several years ago, we had a major problem with adolescent
traffic deaths, and with help from many programs, we have cut that number of
fatalities close to half."

The office handled 3,719 cases in 1999. Most of those cases were returned to
medical professionals to handle, and most of the rest were classified
natural.

In the 1,166 death investigations handled by the office, heart disease was
the leading cause of death, cited in 541 cases; cancer was second with 356.
The third leading cause, pulmonary disease, was third at 37.

The number of motor vehicle deaths in 1999 was 57, the same number as in
1998.

Suicides in DuPage County increased to 67 last year from 61 in 1998. The
1999 number was the third highest ever, behind 77 in 1989 and 70 in 1995.
Last year, six of the suicides were by teenagers or children.