Heroin was the drug most often cited by adults admitted to treatment in Baltimore County. Reports of heroin use increased more than 19 percent between fiscal years 1998 and 2002, from 2,340 to 2,794; other opiates reported increased 222 percent, from 159 to 512. Between 1998 and 2002, drug overdose deaths in Baltimore County increased 75 percent, from 48 to 84, primarily due to increases in narcotics-only and cocaine-only deaths. Of adults admitted for drug treatment in fiscal year 2002, 37 percent reported cocaine abuse. Nearly 82 percent of juveniles admitted to drug treatment in the county reported marijuana abuse. Hallucinogen abuse was reported by nearly 9 percent of the juveniles admitted to drug treatment in the county. Hallucinogens ranked third in frequency of mentions among Baltimore County juveniles. Interviews with professionals in education, criminal justice, prevention, and public health indicated that several small seizures of PCP were made in the past year; this may mean that the drug is making a come-back after posing a problem 10 years ago. More than 7 percent of county 12th graders reported current MDMA/ecstasy use, and one in five reported lifetime use of the substance. Among adults, benzodiazepines reports increased 48 percent between fiscal years 1998 and 2002. Nearly 6 out of 10 adults reported alcohol abuse at admission to treatment in fiscal year 2002, making it the substance most often cited. Several juveniles interviewed at county intake centers reported that oxycontin was both available and popular among county youth. 13 references