Former drug advisers claim legal high deaths in UK are bloated

On Friday, former government advisers had advised the public that the statistics released for the number of deaths caused by "legal highs" are misleading, the Guardian said. Moreover, the figures allegedly hamper attempts to create a drugs policy in tune sensible to the current times.

According to a letter published in the Lancet, Professor David Nutt and Dr Les King had said that the increase of the number of deaths recorded between the years 2009 and 2012, which was 600%, included the deaths caused to substances that do not fall under the definition of legal high. Legal high is a street term for intoxicated drugs or psychoactive substances that are not banned by the law.

Nutt and King, who are from the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs, continued in the letter that the 68 deaths the National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths (NPSAD) in 2012 had recorded included deaths from substances that are already banned by the law. The scientists insisted that only 11 of the 68 deaths occurred due to legal highs.

"What is certain is that if the current government review of legal highs is to be taken seriously and lead to health improvements then there must be a proper definition of terms and improved data collection. Moreover the data must be properly and independently audited so the effects of any change in the law can be properly evaluated," Nutt and King said.

They also accused in the letter that the Office for National Statistics published incorrect number of deaths related to drug poisoning in England and Wales.

Addressing the letter by Nutt and King, NPSAD remained true to the published figures and said that they welcome contributions to help them improve their data.

A spokesperson for the Office for National Statistics had said about the published figures, "ONS does not classify any drugs as 'legal highs'. The ONS annual bulletin makes this clear ... ONS has not 'massaged' the figures for political purposes. It is an impartial organisation and subject to a strict code of practice."

Tags

legal high deaths, Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs, National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths (NPSAD), Office for National Statistics

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