Information was abstracted from medical examiner charts of all deaths involving drugs from 1993-95 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. During these 3 years there were 42 overdose deaths, 47.6% of which were suicides. Suicide was recorded as the manner of death more often among females than among males. The vast majority of all drug overdose deaths were due to licit substances, primarily alcohol & prescription psychotropic medications. Problems with data interpretation are discussed. (22 refs.)