Pubdate: Wed, 03 Mar 2004 Source: Las Vegas Sun (NV) Copyright: 2004 Las Vegas Sun, Inc Contact: http://www.lasvegassun.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/234 DRUG-RELATED DEATHS ON THE RISE IN LAS VEGAS LAS VEGAS (AP) - The Las Vegas area had some of the highest numbers of drug-related deaths compared with 33 other metropolitan areas nationwide, according to new report. Tuesday's report by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration showed Las Vegas had 376 drug-related deaths in 2002, up from 273 the previous year. The 38 percent increase was third highest among the metropolitan areas, which voluntarily reported the data to the federal agency. Other areas included Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. Law enforcement, counseling and academic experts in southern Nevada said the numbers were alarming and showed more prevention and treatment were needed. "We're very concerned about these numbers," said Las Vegas police Sgt. Blake Quackenbush. "It's frustrating because you'd like to see them go down." Quackenbush, a 12-year veteran of the department's narcotics unit, and other experts said the growing drug problem stems partly from changing trends in drug abuse nationwide, particularly the increased purity of heroin and the rise in prescription drug abuse, and the Las Vegas lifestyle. "In my experience, in Vegas it's a fast lifestyle ... (that) draws gamblers with an addictive personality and a lot of people who have no family or friends for support, so they turn to drugs when they have problems," Quackenbush said. Cathy Arentz, clinical director for Economic Opportunity Board's treatment division, said drug use "seems to go with the culture of the city." "It's the 'What happens here, stays here' thing, where it's more accepted here to do things that may not be accepted in other parts of the country," Arentz said. The nonprofit Economic Opportunity Board runs one of Las Vegas' three inpatient treatment centers for substance abuse. The other two are run by WestCare and the Salvation Army. Arentz said she sees addicts struggling with some of the most prevalent drugs mentioned in the report as being direct or indirect causes of death in the Las Vegas area. Those include methamphetamine and the prescription drug OxyContin. Information from: Las Vegas Sun - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom