The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 5 September 2007:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many (a) alcohol-related and (b) drug-related deaths there were in London in each of the last five years. I am replying in her absence. (154810)
The attached table provides the number of deaths in each year in the London government office region with (a) an alcohol-related underlying cause, from 2001 to 2006, and (b) a drug-related poisoning underlying cause, from 2001 to 2005 (the latest year available in each case).
Deaths (persons) Alcohol-related Drug-related 2001 787 428 2002 832 335 2003 826 338 2004 758 342 2005 744 399 2006 824 — 1 Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). The specific causes of death categorised as alcohol-related, and their corresponding ICD-10 codes, are shown in Box 1 as follows. 2 Figures on drag-related deaths relate to the number of deaths from poisoning with any drug or medicine (whether accidental or intentional) or certified as due to drug abuse or dependence. They do not include deaths which may be indirectly related to drug use, such as blood-borne viral infections or transport accidents. The causes of death categorised as drug-related were identified using the ICD-10 codes Fl 1-F16, F18-F19, X40-X44, X60-X64, X85 and Y10-Y14. 3 Based on boundaries as of 2007. 4 Figures are for deaths to residents of London GOR, registered in each calendar year.
Cause of death ICD-10 code(s) Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol F10 Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol G31.2 Alcoholic polyneuropathy G62.1 Alcoholic cardiomyopathy I42.6 Alcoholic gastritis K29.2 Alcoholic liver disease K70 Chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classified K73 Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver (excluding Biliary cirrhosis) K74 (excluding K74.3-K74.5) Alcohol induced chronic pancreatitis K86.0 Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol X45 Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to alcohol X65 Poisoning by and exposure to alcohol, undetermined intent Y15