I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what information is held on the number of people aged 18 years or under who died as a direct or indirect result of abusing (a) cannabis, (b) cocaine, (c) ecstasy, (d) alcohol, (e) crystal methadone and (f) prescription drugs in (i) 2007 and (ii) 1997. (231945)
Table 1 attached shows the number of deaths of persons aged 18 years or under for which the underlying cause was drug poisoning and (a) cannabis, (b) cocaine or (c) ecstasy was mentioned on the death certificate either alone or together with other substances.
The common term (e) ‘crystal meth’ refers to methylamphetamine, an amphetamine, rather than to methadone, an opiate. Table 1 also includes figures for drug poisoning deaths mentioning amphetamines (other than ecstasy) or methadone. It is not possible to provide a breakdown of drug poisoning deaths by substance where the person died as an indirect result of abusing drugs.
The National Statistics definition of alcohol-related deaths only includes those causes regarded as being most directly due to alcohol consumption. It does not include external causes of death such as road traffic accidents, other accidents or violence, where alcohol may have been a contributory cause. Table 2 attached shows the number of deaths of persons aged 18 years or under where (d) an alcohol-related cause was the underlying cause of death or was mentioned as a contributory factor on the death certificate. Figures in all cases are provided for (i) 2007 and (ii) 1997.
ONS data on drug-related deaths identify all substances which were mentioned on the death record. However, since in some cases the same substance could be prescribed, bought legally, or obtained illegally, it is not possible to ascertain which deaths were due to (f) prescription drugs.
Deaths (persons) 1997 2007 Cannabis 1 0 Cocaine 0 4 Ecstasy 5 4 Amphetamines (other than Ecstasy) 6 1 Methadone 34 7 1 Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Deaths were included where the underlying cause was due to drug poisoning (shown in the following table) and where cannabis, cocaine, any amphetamine, ecstasy or methadone was mentioned on the death certificate. 2 Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.
Cause of death ICD-10 code(s) Mental and behavioural disorders due to drug use (excluding alcohol and tobacco) F11–F16, F18–F19 Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances X40–X44 Intentional self-poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances X60–X64 Assault by drugs, medicaments and biological substances X85 Poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances, undetermined intent Y10–Y14
Deaths (persons) 1997 2007 Underlying cause of death 13 2 Mentioned as contributory factor 38 30 1 Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) for 1997, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) for 2007. The specific causes of death categorised as alcohol-related, and their corresponding ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes, are shown in the following table. 2 Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.
Cause of death ICD-9 code(s) Alcoholic psychoses 291 Alcohol dependence syndrome 303 Non-dependent abuse of alcohol 305.0 Alcoholic cardiomyopathy 425.5 Alcoholic fatty liver 571.0 Acute alcoholic hepatitis 571.1 Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver 571.2 Alcoholic liver damage, unspecified 571.3 Chronic hepatitis 571.4 Cirrhosis of liver without mention of alcohol 571.5 Other chronic nonalcoholic liver disease 571.8 Unspecified chronic liver disease without mention of alcohol 571.9 Accidental poisoning by alcohol E860
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 (excl. Biliary cirrhosis) K74 (excl. 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