UK: Alcohol Or Cannabis? Science Has Finally Revealed Which One Is More Harmful

[Ron Strider]

If you've ever wondered which is worse, booze or weed, it appears that science finally has the answer.

A comprehensive round-up of studies by the team over at IFLScience appears to show that cannabis really isn't as bad for you as alcohol is. It's also apparently much less addictive.

For example, a study of the drug habits of 8,000 Americans revealed that 15% could be classed as addicted to alcohol while 9% were addicted to weed.

According to the World Health Organization, booze is thought to contribute to 3.3 million deaths across the globe each year. Which, soberingly, equates to one person dying every 10 seconds.

When it comes to the actual health implications, the site says that things are still not as conclusive as they should be. Alcohol has long been linked to the likes of mouth and liver cancer while pot is believed to have some health benefits.

The page cites a famous study carried out in 2010 by the charity and research organization Drugs Science. They determined that alcohol was the world's most dangerous drug after considering sixteen different parameters of harm. This included harm to the individual and harm to society as a whole.

Heroin and crack cocaine came second and third in the list as, although they pose a greater danger to the individual user, they have less effect on the rest of society.

"Ranking twenty different drugs on sixteen different harms — that's the best method we've had," commented Dr David Nutt who headed up the research at the time.

News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Alcohol or cannabis? Science has finally revealed which one is more harmful - Mirror Online
Author: Jeff Parsons
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Website: Mirror Online: The intelligent tabloid. #madeuthink

 

[Nightmask]

The page cites a famous study carried out in 2010 by the charity and research organization Drugs Science. They determined that alcohol was the world's most dangerous drug after considering sixteen different parameters of harm. This included harm to the individual and harm to society as a whole.

Heroin and crack cocaine came second and third in the list as, although they pose a greater danger to the individual user, they have less effect on the rest of society.

“Ranking twenty different drugs on sixteen different harms – that’s the best method we’ve had,” commented Dr David Nutt who headed up the research at the time.

Soooo.... in this ranking of twenty different drugs based on 16 different harms, if alcohol is the most dangerous drug and heroin and crack cocaine are second and third respectively, where exactly on this list of twenty drugs does cannabis reside? Fifth? Tenth? Dead last at twentieth being the least harmful?

 

[improvise]

I think it came in at 10 or 11 but cant remember exactly, The UK government basically ignored professor Nutts findings and kept cannabis where it was on the list prior to that study, or reclassified it to a B instead of A class. regards

 

[Guy Cavallero]

What blows my mind is that it takes scientists to prove what every single one of us already knows.....pay me instead!

 

[Nightmask]

I think it came in at 10 or 11 but cant remember exactly, The UK government basically ignored professor Nutts findings and kept cannabis where it was on the list prior to that study, or reclassified it to a B instead of A class. regards

Thanks for that info, though it would have been nice in the article. Though I think the original article was likely more focus on alcohol as the main subject and not cannabis. Cannabis should have still been lower than mid-range. I wonder what are the 10-odd other drugs that were supposedly safer than cannabis.

 

[improvise]

Dug up info on list.

1. Heroin
Class A drug. Originally used as a pain killer and derived from opium poppy. There were 897 deaths recorded from heroin and morphine use in 2008 in England and Wales,according to the office of national statistics (ONS). There were around 13,000 seizures, amounting to 1.6m tonnes of heroin.

2. Cocaine
Class A. Stimulant produced from the South American coca leaf. Accounted for 235 deaths- a sharp rise from the previous years fatalities. Nearly 25,000 seizures were made amounting to 2.9 tonnes of the drug.

3. Barbiturates
Class B. Synthetic sedatives used for anesthetic purposes. Blamed for 13 deaths.

4. Street methadone
Class A. A synthetic opioid. Commonly used as a substitute for treating heroin patients. Accounted for 378 deaths and there were more than 1,000 seizures of the drug.

5. Alcohol
Subject to increasing concern from the medical profession about it`s damage to health. According to the ONS, there were 8,724 alcohol deaths in the UK in 2007. Other sources claim the true figure is far higher.

6. Ketamine
A hallucinogenic dance drug for clubbers. There were 23 ketamine-related deaths in the UK between 1993 and 2006. Last year there were 1,266 seizures.

7. Benzodiazepines
Class C. A hypnotic relaxant used to treat anxiety and insomnia. Includes drugs such as diazepam,temazepam and nitrazepam. Caused 230 deaths and 1.8m doses were confiscated in more than 4,000 seizure operations.

8. Amphetamine
Class B. A psychostimulent that combats fatigue and suppresses hunger. Associated with 99 deaths, although this tally includes some ecstasy deaths. Nearly 8,000 seizures amounting to almost 3 tonnes.

9. Tobacco
A stimulant that is highly addictive due to it`s nicotine content. More than 100,000 people a year die from smoking and tobacco related diseases, including cancer, respiratory disease and heart disease.

10. Buprenoraphine
An opiate used for pain control and sometimes as a substitute to wean addicts off heroin. Said to have caused 43 deaths in the UK between 1980 and 2002.

11. Cannabis
Class B. A psychoactive drug recently appearing in stronger forms such as "skunk". A subject of intense controversy over it`s long-term affects and capacity for including schizophrenia. Caused 19 deaths and there were 189,000 seizures netting 65 tonnes and 640.000 cannabis plants.

12. Solvents
Fumes inhaled to produce a sense of intoxication. Usually abused by teenagers. Derived from commonly available products such as glue and aerosol sprays. Causes around 50 deaths a year.

13. 4-MTA
Class A. Originally used for laboratory research. Releases serotonin in the body. Only 4 deaths reported in the UK between 1997 and 2004.

14. LSD
Class A. A Hallucinogenic drug originally synthesized by a German chemist in 1938. Very few deaths reported.

15. Methylphenidate
Class B drug. Brand name Ritalin. A psycho-stimulant sometimes used in the treatment of attention deficit disorders.

16. Anabolic steroids
Class C. Used to develop muscles, notably in competitive sports. Also alleged to induce aggression. Have been blamed for causing deaths among body builders. More than 800 seizures.

17. GHB
Class C. A clear liquid dance drug said to induce euphoria, also described as a date rape drug. Can trigger comas and suppress breathing. Caused 20 deaths and 47 seizures were recorded.

18. Ecstasy
Class A. Psychoactive dance drug. Caused 44 deaths. with around 5,000 seizures made.

19. Alykl nitrites
Known as "poppers" inhaled for their role in muscle relaxant and supposed sexual stimulant. Reduce blood pressure which can cause fainting and in some cases death.

20. Khat.
A psychoactive plant, the leafs of which are chewed in east Africa and Yemen. Also known as qat. Produces mild psychological dependence, it`s derivatives, cathinone and cathine, are class C drugs in the UK.

regards

 

[JustinHemp420]

I'm interested in finding out how the 19 ppl died from cannabis? Was it due to lung damage etc as I can't see an overdose as an option

 

[improvise]

I expect they were schizophrenia related deaths where they abused cannabis at a young age and perhaps developed schizophrenia and committed suicide. Yes they tried to kill a chimpanzee in the laboratory with a gas mask on which they delivered cannabis through for the chimpanzee to inhale. They gave up in the end realizing it was futile. regards