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22/08/2003
Booze and drug deaths 'triple' over 20 years
Deaths from alcohol-related causes and drug-related poisoning both tripled in young men aged 15-44 between 1979 and 2001, according to a study of mortality trends published in Health Statistics Quarterly.
In young adult women, deaths from alcohol related causes also tripled, the survey found. Drug-related poisoning accounted for 13% of deaths in young adult men in 2001 (7% in young adult women).
Alcohol-related causes accounted for seven and 6% of deaths in young adult men and women, respectively.
The Liberal Democrats have called on the government to put the problem of alcohol abuse at the top of its priority list. The party further claimed that the government’s "failure to tackle alcohol abuse" could lead to "240,000 unnecessary deaths".
Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary Evan Harris said: “Alcohol is one of the most dangerous and damaging drugs in Britain today.
“Excessive boozing kills four times as many people as drug abuse. It is one of the main causes of anti-social, aggressive and violent behaviour. It causes huge problems for the Health Service – for accident and emergency departments as well as doctors treating the effects of long-term alcohol abuse such as liver damage and heart disease.
“The government says it will finally implement its alcohol strategy in 2004. That is six years since it was announced in 1998. Our research shows that up to 240,000 people could have died from alcohol misuse within that time."
(gmcg)
In young adult women, deaths from alcohol related causes also tripled, the survey found. Drug-related poisoning accounted for 13% of deaths in young adult men in 2001 (7% in young adult women).
Alcohol-related causes accounted for seven and 6% of deaths in young adult men and women, respectively.
The Liberal Democrats have called on the government to put the problem of alcohol abuse at the top of its priority list. The party further claimed that the government’s "failure to tackle alcohol abuse" could lead to "240,000 unnecessary deaths".
Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary Evan Harris said: “Alcohol is one of the most dangerous and damaging drugs in Britain today.
“Excessive boozing kills four times as many people as drug abuse. It is one of the main causes of anti-social, aggressive and violent behaviour. It causes huge problems for the Health Service – for accident and emergency departments as well as doctors treating the effects of long-term alcohol abuse such as liver damage and heart disease.
“The government says it will finally implement its alcohol strategy in 2004. That is six years since it was announced in 1998. Our research shows that up to 240,000 people could have died from alcohol misuse within that time."
(gmcg)
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