asked the Minister for Health the number of deaths in the last year for which figures are available associated with misuse of: (a) drugs; (b) smoking; (c) alcohol.
Written Answers - Death Statistics.
45.
It is not possible to determine accurately the numbers of deaths attributable to the misuse of drugs. Such deaths may be registered as due to various direct causes but it is not possible to isolate the number of deaths in which drug misuse was a factor.
A number of causes of death are regarded as smoking related. These include coronary heart disease; diseases of other blood vessels (including stroke); bronchitis and emphysema; cancer of the lung, bronchus and trachea; cancers of the mouth, larynx, oesophagus, pancreas, bladder and kidney and peptic ulcer. The number of deaths attributable to all these causes amounted to approximately 16,700 in 1982. While tobacco smoking is involved as a cause in many of these conditions, other factors such as environmental conditions and old age are also involved.
The number of people who died from chronic liver disease and cirrhosis of the liver in 1982 was 97. This disease is associated with alcohol abuse which may also be a contributory factor in deaths registered as due to other causes.