Toxicology Testing and Results for Suicide Victims – 13 States, 2004

During 2004, the National Violent Death Reporting System received data on 7,277 suicides. In some states, toxicology testing was performed routinely in nearly all cases; in other states, testing was performed selectively. Among all suicide victims with positive test results, the greatest percentage tested positive for alcohol, followed by opiates, cocaine, marijuana, & amphetamines. Greater percentages of victims of suicide caused by poisoning were tested than nonpoisoning suicide victims. An editorial note follows this article. (10 refs.)