§ Mr. AmosTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total number of recorded deaths(a) from drug addiction and (b) from smoking-related diseases for the last year for which figures are available.
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§ Mrs. CurrieThe number of deaths of persons aged 28 days and over registered with drug dependence (ICD1 304) as the underlying cause of death in England and Wales in 1987 is 165.
It is not possible to be precise about smoking-related deaths. Most deaths associated with cigarette smoking arise from three diseases: lung cancer, chronic bronchitis and "heart attacks" due to obstruction of the arteries of the heart. However, the proportion of deaths attributable to smoking from each of these diseases varies. Furthermore, smoking is also implicated in certain other conditions where no estimate of the numbers of the deaths caused by smoking is available—for example, obstruction of the arteries of the lower limbs, and strokes.
It is estimated that at least 90 per cent. of deaths from cancers of the lung, lip, oesophagus and larynx, and 90 per cent. of deaths from chronic brochitis, obstructive lung disease, chronic pulmonary heart disease and aortic aneurysm are attributable to smoking. The total number of deaths from these conditions involved is given in the table.
England and Wales 1987 ICD1 code Number2 162 Malignant neoplasm of trachea, bronchus and lung 35,138 140-149 Malignant neoplasm of lip, oral cavity and pharynx 1,689 150 Malignanat neoplasm of oseophagus 4,770 161 Malignanat neoplasm of larynx 866 416 Chornic pulmonary heart disease 680 441 Aortic aneurysm 7,844 490-492, Bronchitis and emphysema chronic airways 24,996 496 obstruction, not elsewhere classified In its report "Health or Smoking" (1983) the Royal College of Physicians estimated that perhaps 20 per cent. of deaths due to obstruction of the arteries of the heart were related to smoking. The medical term for this condition is "ischaemic heart disease", but it is commonly referred to as "coronary heart disease". The total number of deaths from this condition for England and Wales is as follows:
England and Wales 1987 ICD1 code Number2 410-414 Ischaemic heart disease 155,235 1 International Classification of Diseases 9th revision. 2 Persons, at ages 28 days and over.