Legal highs deaths over-estimated

The number of deaths due to so-called legal highs has been misrepresented, according to Professor David Nutt, chair of the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs.

Writing in The Lancet with long-term collaborator Dr Les King, the former government drugs adviser claims that 'twice as many people die every day as a result of alcohol than die in a whole year as a result of legal highs'.

Professor Nutt and Dr King also argue that data compiled by the National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths (NPSAD) is flawed, something disputed by the NPSAD and the Office for National Statistics.

Read The Independent's take on the story here.

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