HC Deb 16 April 1996 vol 275 cc481-2W
Mr. Milburn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many young people died in each of the last five years from abuse of(a) legally prescribed drugs and (b) illegal drugs. [25152]

Mr. Bowis

It is not possible to differentiate between legally prescribed drugs and illegal drugs. The number of deaths from drug misuse in England and Wales among those aged under 25 in the years 1990–92 are shown in the table.

Year Deaths from drug misuse
1990 353
1991 362
1992 364

Source:

International Classification of Diseases 9th revision codes 304 (drug dependence), 305.2–305.9 (non-dependent abuse of drugs), 960–979 (poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances).

Deaths for 1992 and earlier years represent the number of deaths registered in each year. New procedures for coding cause of death from 1993, and the absence of medical inquiries, mean that figures for 1993 onwards may not be comparable with earlier years. The figures for 1993 and 1994 were 387 and 433 respectively. More details may be found in OPCS series DH2 for 1993, which was published in October 1995; copies are available in the Library.

Year Deaths1
1990 2,055
1991 2,068
1992 2,299
1993 2,272
1994 2,427
1 This comprises International Classification of Diseases 9th revision codes 304 (drug dependence), 305.2–305.9 (non-dependent abuse of drugs), 960–979 (poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances).

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has evaluated into the mechanism by which Ecstasy killed each victim of the drug in each of the last five years. [24835]

Mr. Bowis

The Department of Health has not carried out a formal evaluation of research in this area, but maintains close contact with a number of experts on Ecstasy-related deaths. We are in the process of drawing up proposals for research on Ecstasy and its effects. The Advisory Council on the misuse of drugs held a meeting to discuss Ecstasy and its effects earlier this year and will advise the Home Department of its findings shortly.