The author's conclusion is: "the use of heroin rose in that decade."
We are trying to account for the statistic that the number of hospital room emergency visits by heroin users grew by more than 25% during the 1980s, while not supporting the conclusion.
Answer choice (E) states: "Viral and bacterial infections, malnourishment, and overdoses account for most hospital emergency room visits linked to heroin."
This answer choice does not account for the statistic that the number of hospital emergency room visits by heroin users grew by more then 25 percent during the 1980s.
We do not know whether "viral and bacterial infections, malnourishment, and overdoses" rose during that time. We merely know that these things account for most of the hospital emergency room visits linked to heroin.
We want an answer choice that explains WHY the number of hospital emergency visits by heroin users grew, but that does not support the conclusion that heroin rose in that decade.
Hope that clears things up! Please let us know if you have any other questions.
