KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - Today, the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute (ADAI) at the University of Washington is publishing a report showing that in the first six months of 2004 there were 34 heroin-related deaths and 43 cocaine-related deaths in King County, based on data from the King County Medical Examiner’s Office.

“Heroin-related deaths have declined from levels in the 1990s, but they are still unacceptably high,” said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County. “We are working hard and have made significant progress in increasing the number of people who have access to methadone treatment.”

At the end of 2004, there were 487 people in King County on the wait list for methadone treatment. However, the wait list has now been reduced to less than 300, and Public Health along with partner agencies aim to continue to reduce the wait list and wait times during 2005.

The wait list for methadone treatment is maintained by Public Health - Seattle & King County, and the number of people on the wait list has been reduced through the implementation of the federal Access to Recovery grant, managed locally by the King County Department of Community and Human Services.

The full report by ADAI, which is prepared twice yearly by the King County Community Epidemiology Work Group, is available at http://adai.washington.edu. Public Health - Seattle & King County is a participant in this group.

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