A new study released in Lancet today assigns drugs a “harm score” from zero to 100 based on nine types of harm that they can wreak on an individual and seven types of harm that abusing those drugs can do to others. The U.K. study found that heroin, crack, and crystal meth ranked at the top of the drugs most harmful to individuals. However, alcohol scored an overall 72, compared to 55 for heroin, 54 for crack, and 27 for cocaine, based on harm it inflicted on others. The study is an attempt to provide scientific evidence to support the reclassification of drugs based on the cost to society. Just imagine if Charlie Sheen’s latest coke-fueled benders were instead set off by a nice Pinot Grigio.
Alcohol ‘more harmful than heroin or crack’ [Guardian UK via Daily Beast]
