In a worrying bit of statistic for the health department, recent figures have revealed that the number of deaths due to drug related incidents in Wales has risen by more than 67 percent over a period of three years from 2006 to 2009.
According to the figures released by International Centre for Drugs Policy, 102 deaths occurred in Wales which were related to illicit drugs in 2009, almost doubling from 61 deaths back in 2006.
More than half of the deaths were due to heroin and morphine though deaths due to cocaine and other ecstasy-type drugs had fallen down. While the number of drug related deaths in Scotland remained around the same level, it showed an increase in England and Northern Ireland as well.
However while there are fears that it could prove to be a major problem across the UK, the Welsh Assembly Government has refused to panic stating that it was too early to identify it as a rising trend.
International Centre for Drug Policy’s (ICDP) Professor Hamid Ghodse said that the available treatment should be improved if the number of such incidents is to be reduced. “An immediate impact in reducing drug-related deaths could be achieved by improving the availability of effective treatment and rehabilitation services”, he said.
Source-Medindia
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