A recent study out of Great Britain suggests that alcohol is more deadly than crack cocaine and even heroin.

Scientists in Great Britain devised a system for evaluating the dangers of both legal and illegal drugs. The drugs were rated using a technique called Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) which assess damage according to nine factors with regard to harm to the user and seven factors that indicate harm to others. Factors which were considered for harm to the user were such things as drug-specific or drug related death, damage to personal health, drug dependence and loss of relationships. Criteria considered with regard to harm to others included crime, environmental damage, conflict within families, international damage, economic costs and damage relating to division within communities.

“I think that society, as a whole, doesn’t realize exactly how detrimental alcohol is,” begins a spokesperson for Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center . “The attitude within the United States seems to be: ‘if you’re 21, the law says that you are old enough to drink, therefore there can’t be any real harm in drinking in moderation’. But, as this study shows, there are more factors to consider than just those related to personal health. Certainly, health is a major consideration, but personal, family and work relationships rank a close second. Educating young adults on the various ways that alcohol impacts on their lives and the lives of others can go a long way in decreasing alcohol abuse.”

Via EPR Network
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