The authors examined suicide trends among registered addicts in the UK over a 25-year period. They found that during this time there was a consistent decline in the overall suicide rate. Drug overdose was the most common method of suicide, accounting for 45% of cases. Significant increases in antidepressant & methadone overdoses in 1988-1992 were reported compared with 1968-1972. The findings confirm that drug addicts are still at higher risk of suicide than the general population. (13 refs)