The report includes data on annual trends in: total drug-related episodes, cocaine-related episodes, heroin-related episodes, other illicit drug-related episodes, prescription and over-the-counter drug-related episodes, and annual trends in selected metropolitan areas. In 1995, there were 531,800 drug-related hospital emergency department episodes. This was up slightly from 1994 (518,000 episodes), but is not a statistically significant increase. Suicide attempt or gesture (203,600) was the most commonly reported motive for taking a substance, comprising 38 percent of all drug-related episodes in 1995. The most frequently recorded reason for a drug-related emergency department visit was overdose (275,700). Results reported in this study show that the non-medical use of drugs continues to place an increasing burden on hospital emergency departments. Figures, notes, appendixes