Drugs and Firearm Deaths in New York City

Author: Galea, S. / Ahern, J. / Tardiff, K. / Leon, A. C. / Vlahov, D.
Publication: Journal of Urban Health-Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine
Topics: Ethnicity Local Medical
Keywords: Drug Use Firearms New York City medical examiner
Bibliographic information +

The authors used Medical Examiner records data from New York City to examine the role of drugs in the incidence of firearm deaths from 1990 to 1998. From toxicology reports, they found that half of all firearm death victims had screened positive for drugs, with cocaine, cannabis, opiates and alcohol accounting for nearly all cases. The authors note trends for specific substances (e.g. positive screen for cannabis increased in the early 1990s and then decreased from the mid-1990s onward). The greatest firearm death rates were among males who were African Americans or Latino: more Latinos tested positive for cocaine or opiates while more African Americans tested positive for cannabis.