I would like to commend the fine work done by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council in producing this report entitled, Drug-Related Inpatient Hospitalizations: A Five Year Perspective (1991-1995).
As I am sure you are aware, I have made drug enforcement within the Commonwealth a top priority for the Office of Attorney General. In fighting the "war on drugs," however, it is imperative that law enforcement be given the ability to "size-up" the nature and extent of the problem so as to create the most effective and efficient strategy to combat it. One such way to do this is through the tracking of drug-related hospital admissions throughout the Commonwealth.
This report does an excellent job of breaking down this information, thus allowing law enforcement to review trends with regard to the use of particular drugs; the use of drugs in various geographic locations; the overall number of hospitalizations from drugs, as well as in a variety of other ways. These data, when used in conjunction with other law enforcement tools and intelligence information, provide policy makers and agents on the street alike with the information they need to more effectively perform their duties.
This report is a service to the citizens of the Commonwealth that is greatly appreciated.
Mike Fisher
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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