HC Deb 10 January 1996 vol 269 cc231-2W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people died in each of the past five years as a result of the use of(a) tobacco, (b) alcohol, (c) medicinal drugs, (d) heroin, (e) solvents, (f) ecstasy and (g) cannabis. [7841]

Mr. Bowis

It is estimated that in the Untied Kingdom about 110,000 deaths each year are smoking related.

It is not easy to estimate the annual number of deaths in the UK directly caused by alcohol consumption. Estimates in academic literature range between 5,000 and 40,000 deaths in England and Wales per annum, and reflect a wide range of methodological approaches. There is therefore currently no universally acceptable mortality figure.

Deaths from medicinal drugs are shown below.

  • 1988: 1,859
  • 1989: 1,712
  • 1990: 1,771
  • 1991: 1,791
  • 1992: 1,971.

Data on heroin, ecstasy and cannabis are contained in table 10 of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys publication "Mortality Statistics: Injury and poisoning" Series DH4. Copies of this publication are available in the Library.

Deaths from solvents are as follows:

  • 1989: 113
  • 1990: 151
  • 1991: 122
  • 1992: 84
  • 1993: 73.

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