§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths were caused by(a) heroin, (b) crack/cocaine and (c) ecstasy in each year from 1990 to 1999; and what his projection is for the number of deaths in each category for 2000. [136573]
§ Ms StuartThe information requested is given in the table, and is for England and Wales.
Deaths where drug mentioned on death certificate Heroin Heroin and/or morphine Ecstasy/MDMA Cocaine 1993 67 187 8 12 1994 127 276 27 24 1995 162 355 10 19 1996 241 464 16 18 1997 255 445 11 38 1998 407 632 15 65 Figures prior to 1993 have not been provided as they are not directly comparable to post-1993 data due to changes in the way data are collected and recorded. Data prior to 1993 are included in series DH4, available in Library. Detailed figures for the period 1993 to 1998 are available in Health Statistics Quarterly Editions 5 and 7, which can be found in the Library of the House. Data for 1999 will be available in 2001.
It is difficult to make accurate predictions for the number of deaths in these categories for 2000, as the numbers are small and highly variable.
Heroin and/or morphine is listed because heroin breaks down in the body into morphine, meaning the latter may be detected in the body at post-mortem and recorded on the death certificate. Therefore both figures are listed.