The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated October 2008:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many (a) men and (b) women died from drug misuse in each year since 1997. (227510)
The table attached provides the numbers of deaths for which the underlying cause was drug poisoning, where any drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was mentioned on the death certificate, for (a) males and (b) females, from 1997 to 2007 (the latest year available).
Male Female 1997 1,041 271 1998 1,142 315 1999 1,321 307 2000 1,329 275 2001 1,450 356 2002 1,269 344 2003 1,118 314 2004 1,177 318 2005 1,260 348 2006 1,250 323 2007 1,287 317 1 Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) for the years 1997 to 2000, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) for 2001 onwards. Deaths were included where the underlying cause was due to drug poisoning (corresponding ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes are shown in the following table) and where a drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was mentioned on the death certificate. 2 Figures include deaths of non-residents. 3 Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.
ICD-10 ICD-9 Description F11-F16, F18-F19 292, 304, 305.2-305.9 Mental and behavioural disorders due to drug use (excluding alcohol and tobacco) X40-X44 E850-E858 Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances X60-X64 E950.0-E950.5 Intentional self-poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances X85 E962.0 Assault by drugs, medicaments and biological substances Y10-Y14 E980.0-E980.5 Poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances, undetermined intent