Scientists, writing in The Lancet medical journal this week, say that alcohol and tobacco are more dangerous than ecstasy, LSD and cannabis.

Alcohol 'is more dangerous than illegal drugs'

Extract:

"Alcohol and tobacco are more dangerous than ecstasy, LSD and cannabis, according to a new drug classification table proposed by leading experts.

Ecstasy, currently a class-A drug, possession of which can result in a seven-year prison sentence, is placed near the bottom of the new table.

At the other end of the list, which gives each substance a “harm score,” alcohol is ranked fifth - not far behind cocaine and heroin.

The new ranking method would make alcohol a class-A drug under Britain’s current ABC classification system, the experts said.

The team of scientists, led by Professor David Nutt, from the University of Bristol, and Professor Colin Blakemore, chief executive of the Medical Research Council, want the current ABC system scrapped.

The system is “arbitrary,” not based on scientific evidence and only increases the confusion surrounding drug issues, they said.

Writing in The Lancet medical journal, Prof Blakemore said the table is intended to guide policy makers when drawing up a replacement for the current Misuse of Drugs Act.""

"The drugs 'harm index'
1: Heroin
2: Cocaine
3: Barbiturates
4: Street Methadone
5: Alcohol
6: Ketamine
7: Benzodiazepines
8: Amphetamines
9: Tobacco
10: Buprenorphine
11: Cannabis
12: Solvents
13: 4-MTA
14: LSD
15: Methylphenidate
16: Anabolic steroids
17: GHB
18: Ecstasy
19: Alkyl Nitrates
20: Khat"

Well I'd like to suggest these scientists check out prescribed steroids and HRT. - In my informed opinion, as a steroid victim, these drugs are far more dangerous, and harm far more people than anabolic steroids, and should be much higher up the list. - I agree with them that benzodiazepines are very dangerous. - Benzodiazepines are another drug that doctors prescribe incautiously to their innocent victims/patients.