reported and were significantly lower when compared to 61/280
(21.8%, 95%CI 17-27) in the post –KASPER period. Non-heroin
deaths were significantly greater in the pre-KASPER period 94/97
(94%)(95% CI =90.88-99.38) P=<0.001 than in the post-KASPER
period 219/280 (78.21%) (95% CI =82.68-94). The percentage of
fatal overdose deaths in the two time periods did not change significantly. Post-KASPER overdose deaths 280/1316 (21.3%) 95%
CI 19-23 vs 97/510 (19.2%) 95% CI = 16-22% of pre-KASPER
overdose deaths (table 1).
The top 10 causes of death in the entire sample are seen in table
1a. Drug O.D. deaths were the most frequently listed cause of death
followed by myocardial infarction. Motor vehicle accident deaths,
cancer and suicide deaths completed the top five causes of death in
the post-KASPER period. Respiratory failure deaths did not make
the top 10 list of causes of death in the pre-KASPER period; this was
the seventh leading cause of death in the post KASPER period. The
increase in respiratory deaths can be explained by the increase in the
use of heroin and its effects on respiration. It became clear t