Coroner warns after drink deaths

The coroner said more people were killing themselves with alcohol

More needs to be done to prevent the rise in the number of people dying from alcohol abuse, a coroner has warned.

North West Wales coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones said the UK Government and assembly government were tackling drug problems when alcohol abuse was worse.

He made his comments after inquests into three alcohol-related deaths.

The assembly government said alcohol issues would be "at the heart" of a 10-year substance misuse strategy, which would be launched shortly.

Mr Pritchard Jones made his comments after three out of the five inquests he held in Dolgellau involved deaths in which alcohol was a contributory factor.

People are killing themselves by drinking too much alcohol - that message has to get through Dewi Pritchard Jones, coroner

He returned a verdict of death caused by alcohol cardiomyopathy on Victoria Egginton-Groves from Tywyn, Gwynedd.

A post mortem examination had revealed the cause of death was long term alcohol abuse.

Returning a verdict of suicide on Dafydd Alwyn Owen, 34, of Llanuwchllyn, who was found hanged in a barn, Mr Pritchard Jones said Mr Owen would get depressed after drinking.

Glyn Jones-Roberts, 69, had been found dead at the foot of stairs at his home in Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Pathologist Dr Anthony Caslin said the alcohol content in Mr Jones-Roberts's blood was three times the legal drink-drive limit.

'Risky use'

Mr Pritchard Jones said: "There are joint health forums discussing the issues of alcohol abuse and their concerns have to be tackled nationally.

"People are killing themselves by drinking too much alcohol. That message has to get through," he added.

A Welsh Assembly Government spokesman said: "Tackling the harm caused by alcohol is at the heart of a new 10-year substance misuse strategy to be launched shortly.

"It will be backed by an extra £9.6m over the next three years taking the total amount to over £27m a year by 2010.

"We recognise that the harmful use of alcohol in Wales is far more widespread than that of illicit drugs or other substances."

He said there would be a greater focus "on the distinctive issues" caused by the "inappropriate or risky use" of alcohol, underpinned by an alcohol action plan.

This would be backed up by an additional £3m over the next three years to help deliver it.

The spokesman said the strategy would look at four key areas:

• Prevention
• Supporting substance misusers
• Supporting families
• Tackling availability and protecting individuals and communities

It would also encourage an enforcement of current legislation around drink-driving and "managing" streets in towns and cities in the evening.

The assembly government would also press for stricter rules on the promotion of alcohol, an increase in taxation and a reduction in the drink-drive limit.

Meanwhile, Ian Shannon, North Wales Police's assistant chief constable, called for the drink-drive limit to be cut, saying the UK had fallen behind other European countries.

Writing on his blog, he said the force kept a "rigorous approach" to breath tests all year round, which had succeeded as a deterrent.