Believe it or not, but Alcohol hit #1 on the list of Drugs which cause the Most Harm Overall to users and to society, significantly beating out heroin and crack which came in 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Here's the story from the Toronto Star:
Why study says alcohol more dangerous than heroin, cocaine
The former U.K. drug czar has published a study damning alcohol as a more dangerous drug than heroin or crack cocaine and urged governments to radically readjust their targets in the fight on narcotics.Pretty interesting eh...
Prof. David Nutt, head of the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs, published his comparison in the medical journal, Lancet.
Nutt’s study weighs the danger of a drug based on a 16-point checklist – nine factors relating to harm to the user, and seven more measuring harm to others. Effects measured range from death to loss of mental functioning to crime to failed relationships.
The checklist produces a score out of 100 – the higher the score, the greater the danger.
Nutt’s List of Drugs That Cause the Most Overall Harm
1. Alcohol (72)
2. Heroin (55)
3. Crack (54)
4. Crystal Meth (33)
5. Cocaine (27)
6. Tobacco (26)
7. Amphetamines (Speed) – (23)
8. Cannabis (20)
9. GHB (18)
10. Benzodiazapines (15)
11. Ketamine (15)
12. Methadone (13)
13. Butane (10)
14. Qat (9)
15. Ecstasy (9)
Here's a link to the actual study on The Lancet (please note that you have to register on The Lancet -it's free- in order to view the study): Drug harms in the UK: a multicriteria decision analysis.
--jackandcokewithalime
(Image:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/twak/4140510605/sizes/l/ by twak on flickr
)
No comments:
Post a Comment