Study: Alcohol 'most harmful drug,' followed by crack and heroin
20 replies, posted
Hopefully this isn't news to anyone, but please read the article before chiming in:
[quote]Alcohol ranks "most harmful" among a list of 20 drugs, beating out crack and heroin when assessed for its potential harm to the individual imbibing and harm to others, according to study results released by a British medical journal.
A panel of experts from the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs weighed the physical, psychological, and social problems caused by the drugs and determined that alcohol was the most harmful overall, according to an article on the study released by The Lancet on Sunday.
Using a new scale to evaluate harms to individual users and others, alcohol received a score of 72 on a scale of 1 to 100, the study says. It was compared to 19 other drugs using 16 criteria: nine related to the adverse effects the drug has on an individual and seven on its harm against others.
That makes it almost three times as harmful as cocaine or tobacco, according to the article, which is slated to be published on The Lancet's website Monday and in an upcoming print edition of the journal.
[b]Heroin, crack cocaine and methamphetamine were the most harmful drugs to individuals, the study says, while alcohol, heroin and crack cocaine were the most harmful to others.[/b][/quote]
[url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/01/alcohol.harm/index.html?hpt=Sbin]Source [CNN][/url]
Why isn't marijuana on the list? Oh wait...
[QUOTE=Gordon 154;25790236]Why isn't marijuana on the list? Oh wait...[/QUOTE]
Because it instantly kills anyone it comes in contact with.
Can't believe the UK government kicked out their lead drugs advisor because he said they should legalise weed cause it was effectively harmless and they could make a lot of money of it.
Fucking government :argh:
[QUOTE=bravehat;25790316]Can't believe the UK government kicked out their lead drugs advisor because he said they should legalise weed cause it was effectively harmless and they could make a lot of money of it.
Fucking government :argh:[/QUOTE]
Make that "fucking labour government."
Smoke weed errday
It's cheap and common, of course it's going to be the most harmful.
But it doesn't fuck you up as bad as the others can.
Have you seen alcohol withdrawal?
It is one of the few drugs that kills from withdrawal.
[QUOTE=bravehat;25790586]Have you seen alcohol withdrawal?
It is one of the few drugs that kills from withdrawal.[/QUOTE]
would you care to elaborate
The central nervous system goes into a sort of hyperactive state and can end up producing too much of some chemicals and it ends up poisoning itself. Even if that doesn't happen it causes brain damage and insanity to some degree.
Trust me, alcohol is by far and large one of the worst drugs that you can introduce to the body.
[QUOTE=bravehat;25792452]The central nervous system goes into a sort of hyperactive state and can end up producing too much of some chemicals and it ends up poisoning itself. Even if that doesn't happen it causes brain damage and insanity to some degree.
Trust me, alcohol is by far and large one of the worst drugs that you can introduce to the body.[/QUOTE]
Oh I'm fine with drinking every once in a while, but that's new to me. Haven't really seen any supposedly true alcohol withdrawals on anyone. I guess this, once again, is due to it's accessibility?
Or are you just talking about the hangover?edit - now I'm more curious, what's that hyperactive state and what chemicals (I mean, what is their nature?)
[QUOTE=bravehat;25790316]Can't believe the UK government kicked out their lead drugs advisor because he said they should legalise weed cause it was effectively harmless and they could make a lot of money of it.
Fucking government :argh:[/QUOTE]
People always say taxing marijuana is a great idea, but assuming that most weed users are middle class to poor, the people we are collecting money from are generally those who need the most financial support. Seems slightly counter-productive in my eyes.
Perhaps we should consider taxing golf clubs instead?
The UK goverment is stupid, you can get money out of weed, but it is kind of harmless and harmful.
[QUOTE=Bat-shit;25792553]Oh I'm fine with drinking every once in a while, but that's new to me. Haven't really seen any supposedly true alcohol withdrawals on anyone. I guess this, once again, is due to it's accessibility?[/QUOTE]
Drinking "now and then" isn't an addiction and won't trigger withdrawl. We're talking severe alcoholics here.
[QUOTE=Coffee;25790343]Make that "fucking labour government."[/QUOTE]
lol partisanship
[QUOTE=Gordon 154;25790236]Why isn't marijuana on the list? Oh wait...[/QUOTE]They must not have measured how many people get AIDS from used pot needles.
[QUOTE=TailsPrower;25793785]They must not have measured how many people get AIDS from used pot needles.[/QUOTE]
But pot doesn't use need... DOHOHO :downs:
I expected Garry's Mod to be on the top of the list.
[QUOTE=Lord Xamot;25793993]I expected Garry's Mod to be on the top of the list.[/QUOTE]
Heheh
[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;25790520]It's cheap and common, of course it's going to be the most harmful.
But it doesn't fuck you up as bad as the others can.[/QUOTE]
I've witnessed first hand what it's like living with an acoholic and it was pretty scary when my family member was going through withdraws. He'd get angry and throw things around and break stuff and swear at everyone. So alcohol can/is as bad as those other drugs.
Alcoholics are probably more violent than heroin or crack addicts.
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