DRUG-RELATED DEATHS ON THE RISE IN LAS VEGAS

LAS VEGAS (AP) - The Las Vegas area had some of the highest numbers of
drug-related deaths compared with 33 other metropolitan areas nationwide,
according to new report.

Tuesday's report by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration showed Las Vegas had 376 drug-related deaths in 2002, up
from 273 the previous year. The 38 percent increase was third highest among
the metropolitan areas, which voluntarily reported the data to the federal
agency. Other areas included Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C.

Law enforcement, counseling and academic experts in southern Nevada said
the numbers were alarming and showed more prevention and treatment were needed.

"We're very concerned about these numbers," said Las Vegas police Sgt.
Blake Quackenbush. "It's frustrating because you'd like to see them go down."

Quackenbush, a 12-year veteran of the department's narcotics unit, and
other experts said the growing drug problem stems partly from changing
trends in drug abuse nationwide, particularly the increased purity of
heroin and the rise in prescription drug abuse, and the Las Vegas lifestyle.

"In my experience, in Vegas it's a fast lifestyle ... (that) draws gamblers
with an addictive personality and a lot of people who have no family or
friends for support, so they turn to drugs when they have problems,"
Quackenbush said.

Cathy Arentz, clinical director for Economic Opportunity Board's treatment
division, said drug use "seems to go with the culture of the city."

"It's the 'What happens here, stays here' thing, where it's more accepted
here to do things that may not be accepted in other parts of the country,"
Arentz said.

The nonprofit Economic Opportunity Board runs one of Las Vegas' three
inpatient treatment centers for substance abuse. The other two are run by
WestCare and the Salvation Army.

Arentz said she sees addicts struggling with some of the most prevalent
drugs mentioned in the report as being direct or indirect causes of death
in the Las Vegas area. Those include methamphetamine and the prescription
drug OxyContin.

Information from: Las Vegas Sun