Drug Abuse Warning Network

The Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) is a public health surveillance system that monitors drug-related emergency department (ED) visits for the nation and for selected metropolitan areas. DAWN estimates pertain to the entire United States, including Alaska, Hawaii, and the District of Columbia. It was implemented nearly 30 years ago to support a specific set of federal policy-making purposes. Its first findings were published in 1973. It was administered by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Since 1992, the Office of Applied Studies of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has been responsible for DAWN operations. SAMHSA is required to collect data on drug-related ED visits under section 505 ...