The report presents data on semi-annual trends in total drug-related episodes, cocaine-related episodes, heroin-related episodes, other illicit drug-related episodes, and trends in selected metropolitan areas. In the first half of 1996, there were 230,900 drug-related hospital ED episodes, a decrease of 15 percent from the first half of 1995 (271,700). Cocaine-related episodes showed no statistically significant change between the first half of 1995 and the first half of 1996. Heroin-related episodes did not change during the same period. Methamphetamine-related episodes decreased 59 percent from first-half 1995 to first-half 1996. It is important to recognize that DAWN data do not measure the prevalence of drug use, but rather the health consequences of drug use expressed as ED visits. Tables, figures, notes, appendixes