Thaindian News

Nov 1 (THAINDIAN NEWS) A new study suggests that the effects of alcohol addiction on society, places it at the top of the twenty most “harmful substances” list, even higher than illegal drugs such as heroin and crack cocaine. The study was published in the British medical journal known as The Lancet, and was funded by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies in London.

The huge array of social, physical and psychological problems which are caused by drugs were studied by a panel of experts to name the top twenty most harmful substances in cultures today. According to CNN, these experts concluded that alcohol, heroin, and crack were the most harmful to other people whereas heroin, crack, and methamphetamine were the most harmful to the addict.

Each drug was given a score out of sixteen criteria, with one hundred points each. Alcohol scored the highest with 72 points, with heroin taking second at 55 points, and crack third, with 54. LSD and ecstasy were said to be the least harmful, and tobacco was said to have been just as harmful as cocaine.

Here are some of the findings:

1. Alcohol, overall harm score 72
2. Heroin, overall harm score 55
3. Crack, overall harm score 54
4. Crystal meth, overall harm score 33
5. Cocain, overall harm score 27
6. Tobacco, overall harm score 26
7. Speed/amphetamines, overall harm score 23
8. Cannabis, overall harm score 20
9. BHB, overall harm score 18
10. Valium (benzodiazepines), overall harm score 15
11. Ketamine, overall harm score 15
12. Mephedrone, overall harm score 13
13. Butane, overall harm score 10
14. Khat, overall harm score 9
15. Ecstasy, overall harm score 9
16. Anabolic steroids, overall harm score 9
17. LSD, overall harm score 7
18. Buprenorphine, overall harm score 6
19. Mushrooms, overall harm score 5
20. The most harmful drugs to the individual are heroin, crack and crystal meth.
21. The most harmful drugs to others are alcohol, heroin and crack.