Most Deadly Drug Revealed, Alcohol #1

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.”

The World Health Organization has estimated that factors related to alcohol and its consumption cause nearly 2.5 million deaths annually due to road accidents, suicides, heart and liver disease as well as cancer. Deaths related to alcohol factors account for 3.8 percent of all deaths worldwide and are the third leading risk factor for disabilities and premature death.
The MCDA technique utilizes a score system based on 100, with 100 being the most harmful drug and zero for drugs that are evaluated to be of no harm. Out of 100, alcohol scored 72 followed by heroin and crack cocaine at 55 and 54, respectively.