Treatment admissions for cocaine down
Published 1:20 pm Saturday, February 27, 2010
Fewer patients admitted to drug treatment programs in Minnesota listed cocaine as their problem substance in 2009, but heroin admissions were on the rise.
A newly-released state Department of Human Services report on drug trends said cocaine was the primary substance problem for 6.4 percent of treatment admissions in the first half of 2009. That compares with 9.9 percent in all of 2008 and 11.6 percent in 2007.
The report said that while admissions for heroin and other opiates steadily increased since 2000, those admissions leveled off during the first six months of 2009, accounting for 6.5 percent of admitted patients.
The analysis said admissions for prescription pain medications climbed, accounting for 7.5 percent of patients, compared to 6.2 percent in all of 2008.