Tobacco, alcohol and other drugs from a scientific point of view

[Liu Kang]

I just wanted to share this graph with y'all which is a scale ranking differents drugs (including tobacco, alcohol) :

It's a scale summarizing a study from The Lancet, which is a well-respect medical journal.

The study analized differents drugs from different classes (A (most penalized), B and C) as ranked in the Misuse of Drugs Act which was a law applied in Commonwealth countries.
For scientific purposes, the journal added Alcohol, Alkyl Nitrites (most known as poppers), Ketamine (later classified), Khat, Solvents (glue, ethanol, chloroform, gasoline, ether) and Tobacco which were not classified in the Drugs Act.

Here's a quote summing up the whole study :

The results of this study do not provide justification for the sharp A, B, or C divisions of the current classifications in the UK Misuse of Drugs Act. Distinct categorisation is, of course, convenient for setting of priorities for policing, education, and social support, as well as to determine sentencing for possession or dealing. But neither the rank ordering of drugs nor their segregation into groups in the Misuse of Drugs Act classification is supported by the more complete assessment of harm described here. Sharply defined categories in any ranking system are essentially arbitrary unless there are obvious discontinuities in the full set of scores. Figure 1 [mean harm scores] shows only a hint of such a transition in the spectrum of harm, in the small step in the very middle of the distribution, between buprenorphine and cannabis. Interestingly, alcohol and tobacco are both in the top ten, higher-harm group. There is a rapidly accelerating harm value from alcohol upwards. So, if a three-category classification were to be retained, one possible interpretation of our findings is that drugs with harm scores equal to that of alcohol and above might be class A, cannabis and those below might be class C, and drugs in between might be class B. In that case, it is salutary to see that alcohol and tobacco—the most widely used unclassified substances—would have harm ratings comparable with class A and B illegal drugs, respectively.

Here are the tables of the study (in spoiler tags because these are big images) :

Spoiler

Parameters

2007 status of the 20 assessed substances

Mean harm scores

Correlation between mean scores and addiction

Final classification

Here's the full .PDF of the study :
LINK : Psychoactive drugs of misuse: rationalising the irrational, 2007

Here's a report in .PDF from the Science and Technology Committee (UK Parliament) discussing this drug classification seeing as more political than scientific :
LINK : Drug classification: making a hash of it?

 

[Sensitive Blake Griffin]

the "drug czar" of the UK was fired over this study by the way. They were especially upset where MDMA the gawd drug was placed

 

[Crakface]

Where does strong aspirin fall on this list.

 

[Julius Skrrvin]

If you wanna learn a little bit about the history and hypocrisies behind drug legalization/wars i highly suggest this book: it looks at the big three legals (coffee, alcohol, tobacco) and the big three illegals (cocaine marijuana opium) and delineates why they are in their current situations.

 

[Sensitive Blake Griffin]

Where does strong aspirin fall on this list.

I don't know but be careful friend :smugobama:

Reye's syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Crakface]

I don't know but be careful friend :smugobama:

Reye's syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

U be careful LOooks like weed is up thre with addictive substaneces.

 

[Crakface]

 

[daze23]

U be careful LOooks like weed is up thre with addictive substaneces.

but it's not "up thre" with tobacco and alcohol. alcohol, aka that demonic liquid you slip roofies into

 

[Sensitive Blake Griffin]

U be careful LOooks like weed is up thre with addictive substaneces.

1.7 psychological addiction mean score
.8 physical addiction mean score

not bad at all.

I don't have an addictive personality.

 

[zerozero]

solvents = sniffing chemicals?

this seems a bit out of whack or maybe just underscores that alcohol is more harmful than people realize

 

[Sensitive Blake Griffin]

solvents = sniffing chemicals?

this seems a bit out of whack or maybe just underscores that alcohol is more harmful than people realize

Only one I think is out of whack is tobacco. shyt is extremely harmful in the long-term, not so much so in terms of acute symptoms..

If you've ever been out drinking you should be able to easily see how dangerous alcohol is..

We have a beer walk here every year, last year two drunk fukks got into a fight, dude got knocked out and slammed his head onto the concrete. Dead.

 

[zerozero]

We have a beer walk here every year, last year two drunk fukks got into a fight, dude got knocked out and slammed his head onto the concrete. Dead.

I don't think that's what they mean by physical harm

 

[daze23]

solvents = sniffing chemicals?

yep, glue, paint, and that kinda stuff

 

[Sensitive Blake Griffin]

I don't think that's what they mean by physical harm

I'm pretty sure their harm scores involve the costs/harm to society as well.

Amy Winehouse died trying to quit drinking alcohol. Just because its legal doesn't mean its safe. Cigarettes are legal and they kill millions of people.

 

[Liu Kang]

If you wanna learn a little bit about the history and hypocrisies behind drug legalization/wars i highly suggest this book: it looks at the big three legals (coffee, alcohol, tobacco) and the big three illegals (cocaine marijuana opium) and delineates why they are in their current situations.

On the same tip, there is the HOOKED : ILLEGALS DRUGS AND HOW THEY GET THAT WAY series :

Pt 1 : Marijuana and Methamphetamine


Pt 2 : Opium, Morphine and Heroin


Pt 3 : Cocaine


Pt 4 : Ecstasy, LSD and party drugs