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Thanks to TDA reader Norm for sending me the link to this interesting graph used in an attempt to provide a rational scale of the potential harm and misuse of a diverse range of drugs. I say attempt because in my opinion the authors have far underestimated the dependency and physical harm that should be attributed to alcohol.
I realize that any system devised to gauge harm will be arbitrary, but I find it hard to believe that these good doctors overlook the massive societal damage caused by alcohol when compared to the rest of these drugs. Here is a pdf on the actual study, any thoughts on the subject?
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Alcoholics are more likely to die of a seizure in detox than heroin addicts. Prisons are full of people who got drunk and did something really destructive. Because alcohol is legal people somehow think that junkies are worse then drunks: not so. I don’t know what the numbers are, but drunks do an awful lot of damage.
No argument here, the direct harm of alcohol is bad enough but the collateral damage to families and society in general is almost immeasurable because it covers so much.