§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest estimate of the number of deaths in each of the past five years which were related to the abuse of the drug Temazepam; what estimate he has made of the percentage of those which involved the gel formulation; and if he will make a statement. [39195]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe number of deaths certified as being due to drug misuse for the years 1990 to 1994 is as follows:
- 1990: 136
- 1991: 125
- 1992: 153
- 1993: 209
- 1994: 247
With regard to the number of deaths which were related to the abuse of the drug Temazepam, figures where Temazepam was the sole cause of death are not available. However, for the year 1994 the number of deaths where Temazepam was found was 52. Figures for previous years and the percentage of those which involved the gel formulation are not available.
All figures are contained in the report "Collection of Information on Drug Related Deaths by the General Register Office for Scotland", a copy of which is in the Library.
§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest estimate of the number of people who have had one or more limbs amputated as a result of injecting the gel formulation of the drug Temazepam during each of the past five years. [39183]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonBecause of the covert nature of the misuse, information on the precise extent of physical injury or damage resulting when Temazepam soft gelatin gel-filled capsules are injected is not held centrally.