§ Mrs. Iris RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the latest estimated annual costs incurred by the NHS as the result of(a) alcohol, (b) tobacco and (c) other drug use are. [172740]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe estimated annual cost of alcohol misuse to the national health service is around £1.6 billion in England.
The latest figures available indicate that smoking costs the NHS up to £1.7 billion a year in England.
Information on the total cost of drug misuse to the NHS is not available. However, in 2003–04, the Government's pooled budget totalled £243.6 million for the treatment of drug misusers. It is estimated that a further £200 million of mainstream funds was spent on the treatment of drug misuse.