Lord Ennals; Fought Addiction to Valium

Lord Ennals, 72, whose addiction to Valium became one of the early warning signs about that popular tranquilizer. The former British Labor Party Cabinet minister, whose full name was David Hedley Ennals, was elected to the House of Commons in 1964, serving as a Labor lawmaker until 1970 and again from 1974 until 1983. He was a junior minister in the Department of Health and Social Security from 1968-70 and in the Foreign Office from 1974-76. After Ennals lost his seat in the 1983 general election, he was made a life member of the House of Lords by then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. He was chairman of the Ockendon Venture, which provides homes and educational opportunities for refugee children and students. He also chaired the Campaign for the Homeless and Rootless. After his departure from the House of Commons, he was chairman of the United Nations Assn. and of the National Assn. for Mental Health. In 1992, Ennals admitted spending 17 years addicted to Valium, which he started taking after Labor lost power in 1970. He said he had not been warned that the tranquilizer was addictive and vividly described his fight to kick the habit. In London on Saturday of undisclosed causes.