§ Major CARVERasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the statement of one of the British assessor; at the recent meeting of the League Advisory Committee on the traffic in opium and other narcotic drugs to the effect that the destruction of life caused by this traffic could be compared with that of a modern battle, he can give any statistics showing what the mortality is in this country from drugs?
§ Mr. CLYNESI have seen a Press report of the remarks made by the President of the Central Opium Board. They obviously related to the world traffic in drugs rather than to the state of affairs in any one country. The Registrar General has furnished me with the following figures relating to deaths from drugs coming within the Dangerous Drugs Acts:
1917W
England and Wales, 1921-1928. — Male. Female. Total. A. Deaths from Opium and other Narcotic Drugs 18 15 33 In 8 cases (6 male and 2 female) death was due to "the drug habit" or the use of narcotics, but there is no information available to show whether the drugs used came within the provisions of the Dangerous Drugs Acts. B. Deaths from Suicide by Opium and other Narcotic Drugs 57 22 79 In 10 cases (7 male and 3 female) death was due to the use of narcotics or opiates, but there is no information available to show whether the drugs used came within the provisions of the Dangerous Drugs Acts. C. Accidental Deaths from Opium and other Narcotic Drugs 64 31 95 In 9 cases (5 male and 4 female) death was due to narcotics or opiates, but there is no information available to show whether the drugs came within the provisions of the Dangerous Drugs Acts. D. Homicide by other means — 1 — (Morphia.)