llegal substances killed 2,278 people in a year, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
It ranks Britain sixth in the world, with only the US, Ukraine, the Russian Federation, Iran and Mexico having more.
Most of these deaths were caused by opioids, such as heroin, followed by sedatives, cocaine, amphetamine-type stimulants and ecstasy.
The report also warned that, while drug use across the world remained stable, ‘demand soared for substances not under international control’ – so-called legal highs.
It added: ‘These markets continue to evolve and every year new products are manufactured to supply an increasingly diversified demand for psychoactive substances.’
The figures are from the year 2008 and the UN says drug deaths are recorded differently in different countries.
The British deaths are among a population of 61million and compare to 1,638 deaths in Spain, which has a population of 46million, 1,449 in Germany (population 81million) and 484 in Italy (population 60million).
The US, home to 308million people, had 38,396 drug-related deaths.
Britain, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Spain and Germany account for 80 per cent of all drug-related deaths in Europe, the report shows.
Crime prevention minister Baroness Angela Browning said in the year to March officials seized 1,951kg of cocaine or crack, 473kg of heroin, and 1,012kg of other class A drugs.
‘This report demonstrates the need for a renewed focus in dealing with the global drugs market to properly protect our communities,’ she added.
Michael Linnell, from the drug and alcohol charity Lifeline, said he had seen a ‘dramatic’ fall in the number of young people taking heroin.
He added: ‘Most of the people who are heroin addicts are in middle age and have been taking the drug for many years which takes its toll on their health and kills them.
‘But by far the biggest problem we face is from alcohol, both from the number of deaths and the impact it has on society.’
0 comments:
Post a Comment