Citation

Retka RL. Br. J. Addict. Alcohol Other Drugs 1978; 73(2): 155-165.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1978, Churchill Livingstone)

DOI

10.1111/j.1360-0443.1978.tb00136.x

PMID

276370

Abstract

The structure of the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) a, broadly-based system designed to collect information an drug- related deaths and medical emergencies, is described. Likely reporting patterns for various drugs and a methodology for involves the calculation of the number of days between the fist and fiftieth reports of a drug to DAWN. The value resulting for each drug is considered its 'Emergence Index' (EI) EIs for drugs reaching their fiftieth mentions in successive months are compared to detect those substances displaying unusual initial activity patterns. Between July 1973 and February 1976 very few drugs were determined to have atypical EIs. Accordingly, it is concluded that there are relatively free truly 'new' drugs appearing on the drug abuse scene.

Language: en