Ten Most Dangerous Drugs
By Dr. Ben Kim on March 25, 2007
According to a study published this month in The Lancet, alcohol and tobacco rank among the ten most dangerous substances used by humans. Both alcohol and tobacco have been assessed to be more dangerous than illegal drugs like marijuana or ecstasy.
The following three factors were considered in ranking the harmfulness of each drug that was evaluated:
- Physical harm to the user
- Addictive potential of the drug
- The drug's overall impact on society
Psychiatrists who specialize in treating addictive behavior and legal or police officials with scientific or medical expertise were asked to assign a score to each of the three factors listed above for each drug that was evaluated in this study. All told, 20 different drugs were evaluated, including cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, amphetamines, and LSD.
Ranked from most to least dangerous, the ten most dangerous substances were deemed to be:
- Heroin - popular street names include smack, skag, and junk.
- Cocaine - often referred to as snow, flake, coke, and blow.
- Barbiturates - popular slang names include yellow jackets, reds, blues, Amy's, and rainbows.
- Street Methadone
- Alcohol
- Ketamine - a powerful hallucinogen, often referred to as Special K.
- Benzodiazepines - a family of sedative drugs.
- Amphetamines - known as greenies among baseball players.
- Tobacco
- Buprenorphine - also called bupe or subbies.
The remaining drugs that were assessed in this study ranked as follows:
- Cannabis - includes marijuana.
- Solvents - volatile substances that can be inhaled, such as glue, nail polish remover, paints, hair spray, and lighter fuel (gas).
- 4-MTA - is a derivative of amphetamine and has similar effects to ecstasy.
- LSD
- Methylphenidate - central nervous system stimulant, commonly sold as ritalin.
- Anabolic steroids
- GHB - short for Gamma hydroxybutyrate, a powerful central nervous system depressant, most commonly known as the date rape drug.
- Ecstasy
- Alkyl nitrates - group of drugs commonly referred to as poppers.
- Khat - an amphetamine-like stimulant.
It is estimated that tobacco causes 40 percent of all hospital illnesses, while alcohol is involved in more than 50 percent of all visits to hospital emergency rooms. In light of these statistics, the authors of this study question why alcohol and tobacco are legal to use within current drug policies for Britain and the United States, while less harmful drugs like ecstasy and LSD are deemed illegal to use.
The bottom line: alcohol and tobacco are two of the most dangerous substances that you can expose yourself to on a regular basis. In terms of overall potential to cause harm, if used regularly, alcohol and tobacco belong in the same category as other recreational drugs like cocaine and heroin.
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10 most dangerous drugs
Dear Dr. Kim
I appreciate the normally grounded information that you provide.
While no one can defend alchohol or tabacco use, if anyone is to believe the title selected "Top 10 Most Dangerous Drugs" then the list must be valid. It is hard not to suspect that this is just more of the mainstream "blame the patient" strategy when considerably more dangerous drugs like Vioxx, Tylenol, Vaccines (Thimerosal), warfarin/coumadin, statins etc, are excluded.
I suspect that is the list was based upon valid stats, smoking and drinking would not even make the top 50.
Sincerely
Rob
Top Ten Most Dangerous Drugs
Yup I agree with Rob here. The amount of Drugs prescribed to one person is unbelievable and the drugs prescribed do much harm to the body in a very short amount of time. I have experienced this first hand. The top 10 listed here I have not experienced many but the alcohol and tobacco are two I have. The tobacco has not done anywhere near the damage to my system as the ONE cortisone shot I received some 10 years ago and am still suffering the consequences of that.
10 most dangerous drugs
I found it interesting that marijuana made it at the top of the second list of harmful drugs. I believe there is a major misconception about marijuana that tends to be overlooked. Marijuana contains an active ingredient, Tetrahydrocannabinol,or THC, which has never had a documented fatality reaction to it. Now, what can be harmful when using marijuana is inhaling the toxic components, carbon monoxide and tar, just like when smoking tobacco. In fact, when someone smokes marijuana they are inhaling up to five times more toxins than with tobacco. But, I do want to point out the main reason to this discussion is that THC is actually not as harmful as one might think. When marijuana is consumed in other ways than smoking it, e.g. oral consumption of THC in foods or vaporizing the plant, is similar to taking a low dosage of muscle relaxers. Without the smoking toxins, THC can have effects of short-term memory loss and lack of coordination, all which occur only while the THC is active in the body. These effects seem minute compared to other drugs' effects of liver and brain damage.
Actually, Chronic effects of
Actually,
Chronic effects of THC(irreversible even after sustained absitinence) are progressively coming to light with further research. These are indicated for prolonged, heavy users and mainly concern impairment of attention, memory and cognitive executive functions.
There are also concerns for neural development, both in adolescents and unborn babies as they are exposed to it via the placenta and even later via the breast milk.
Marijuana has also been implicated(though no concrete causal relationship has yet been proven) in the precipitation of schizophrenia. It has been proven to exacerbate schizophrenia too.
Marijuana does have medicinal benefits, but many of these can be reproduced with other cannabinoids. THC also produces neurotoxicity and increased neural cell death.
It is essentially impossible to have a fatal overdose on though.
Relatively speaking you could say that MArijuana is not a dangerous drug.
But taken on its own, without comparison to other more harmful drugs, it seems foolish and ignorant to me to say that it is not dangerous.
well, you can't really trust
well, you can't really trust any studies these days. The U.S. government biased their studies to get outcomes that would make marijuana look bad. They tried to link marijuana to cancer and failed, then they tried to keep it hushed up. According to http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070417193338.htm, a study was done where it was shown to reduce cancer growth and reduced existing cancer growth in weight and size. As for schizophrenia, http://www.ukcia.org/culture/effects/mh.htm (just scroll down until you see schizophrenia) says that cannabis does not cause schizophrenia,or any mental illness of that nature directly, but it CAN exacerbate the problem if you ALREADY have schizophrenia or have a predisposition to it. It's the same thing where if you're depressed, you get drunk and it usually makes your problem worse. It also says that no drugs should be used by people under 18 and by pregnant women because MANY drugs can interfere with brain development. Please give sources before making claims.
Marijuana
It actually isn't neurotoxic at all, in fact THC releases the powerful anti-oxidant Melatonin which is why it's common for heavy users to not have many dreams at all... however this is beneficial to the brain if anything.
Also it has been shown that it affects short term memory merely by disrupting the receptors in the hippo campus causing it to form a non linear pattern(which is why it can be effective in the on set of seizures as it's often found in victims that the receptors form an unusually linear pattern just as it occurs) rather then actually kill the brain cells like so many people assume,
and while I'm not trying to say marijuana is free from negative side effects, because it definitely isn't along with many mind altering substances, from personal experience of both in the past I truly believe alcohol to be much more damaging then marijuana both mentally and physically.
However I don't believe this study is accurate because firstly it has a bias towards alcohol and cigarettes and
2) the number of people who consume alcohol is vastly superior to almost any illegal drug; and
3) I would like to see people pop ecstasy pills as much as they drink and see if they came out with less negative effects then alcohol............. because I certainly don't think they would
I have seen 30 year old's who have been relatively heavy drinkers, and I know 30 year old's who were pretty big pill heads and if you met both groups it wouldn't take long to establish who has been more affected.
Thanks Jon
I concur.
I Would like to support what Jon is saying by providing some experiences from my life.
1. I have seen people use both alcohol and marijuana.
2. I have never seen marijuana cause any harm whatsoever to a human being. The only "discomfort" in it's use which I have been able to spot is overeating, which by looking at the average North American is just that AVERAGE.
3. I have seen many health problems and concerns with drinking alcohol, such as overdose. I have had friends and relatives flirting with death who have needed their stomach pumped to save their lives, their only wrongdoing being drinking LEGAL alcohol.
4. I have noticed violent tendencies in a percentage of all alcohol users, and have witnessed horrible fights and beatings due to nothing other than alcohol.
On these notes, I would like you to draw your own conclusions. I think if you really think about your own personal experiences you will find the answer for yourself.
Thanks for Reading,
Fresh
You're Right
I have been researching Marijuana for about 2 years now and that's totally true.
That is straight from the Reefer Madness Campain
What you have just said mentions everything that was included in the 1950's Reefer Maddness campain set up to prevent the use of hemp to make items like paper. The money in the timber industry was booming due to the increase in paper use and hemp was discovered to have far better qualities than timber. I am sorry to say Hamish that you have succumed to political propergander and although it is not your fault, you really have to be careful of what you read in the media. I do not smoke marijuana and never have but I know some to do and they are doing far better than my friends who have liver cancer from excessive alcohol. If anyone is wondering why alcohol hasn't become illegal, if it was the economy would collapse further and taxes would rise to cover the loss in alcohol sales. I have done alot of research and more importantly have talked to people who have first hand experience with these substances not just relied on the media's interpretation of scientific findings. Under the freedom of information act, I encourage you to seek information on the actual research carried out on marijuana and see if you are suprised like I was that it really isnt harmful. Another thing that bothers me is the way the police put a street value on it. The reason it is so much is because of the risks involved in selling it and the sellers most often than not do not use the drug themselves, it is totally about the money involved and if people suffering illnesses who have found that marijuana offers relief they simply should not be put in the category as criminals. If they were then anyone going to the supermarket buying panadol to relieve their headache would be classed as criminals as well. I hear alot about the relationship between marijuana and schizophrenia, well that involves being overly paranoid. Wouldn't you if every moment of your life you were worried that police would break your door down and put you in jail for smoking something when in fact it is none of their business. Then there is preservatives, especially the ones in bread. We have assumed for decades that it is safe because the government allows it and when the bread makers were asked for the studies that showed that the preservative 282 calcium propionate was harmless, they couldnt provide any as there were none done. http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/factsheets/Fact282.htm I have said what I have wanted for a long while and I invite any respectable questions about what I have said. http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,28348,25105959-5014239,00.html
omg
Omg i am never ever ever ever going to trydrugs !
I think that the author is
I think that the author is focusing on psychoactive drugs. Vioxx isn't even on the market anymore, it was withdrawn in 2004.
I am a Teetotaller who smokes like a chimney
I was Really interested to find Alcohol 4 places above Tobacco as I smoke heavily but have not touched alcohol since 2003!!!
In the UK (at least) there is ample opportunity to drink yourself stupid whilst marginalising anyone who wishes to smoke outside of their private areas (at least in public)
Clearly the passive part of smoking Is a factor in its danger, but the law in the UK, Massively does not reflect Alcohol at position 5 and Tobacco at position 9....
People I speak to who have used alcohol dependency to quit smoking have come up with any Reason under the Sun to assert that their habit is not remotely a complete reflection of the attitudes towards Tobacco!
Personally having almost caught double pneumonia during a Winter of smoking under existing tobacco laws and watching Police quote "Ah, Yes! A Permanent and Irreversible Damage" whilst showing exactly what they face every Friday and Saturday night during the drug at position 5, I feel this list exemplifies a market based Prejudice that has been brought about by a simple minded minority who are probably paid well by the Alcohol World....
In the End, I guess what matters is that if I Stick whole-heartedly to my teetotalism, then I am again and again going to see the Entire story of Tobacco mirrored in the World of Alcohol...
But I Sincerely hope those magical four places are true because I have suspected all along that my body welcomes the absence of alcohol four times more than the sufference of an extra packet of fags each day! And that says Nothing about the specific absence of narcosis that I personally Live with...
Yours truly,
Timothy
Best Wishes
I have to agree, it sounds
I have to agree, it sounds like you are just spouting the same ole nonsense that all of the media like us to believe. I have personaly seen what hard core drugs like heroine and meth can do to people, even kill them and their families. I have never witnessed or even heard of someone killing another person over a pack of smokes or to get another beer. The most dangerous drugs are those that make a person steal, cheat and kill to get more. List the facts, not what people pay you to list.
That would be appreciated.
that somebody never killed
that somebody never killed anybody for smokes is due to price which is due to legality of tobacco. Illegalise it and make a box cost £40. Pretty sure theyd start to mate, that has nothing to do with the drug itself.
Dangerous drugs
Alcohol and tobacco are still legal but very dangerous is because they are very big business. To list them as dangerous would mean the collapse of two very big industries that not only employ millions of workers, but make billions of dollars/pounds for a few very powerful people. Also, the sale of tobacco and alcohol raise millions more in taxation income for the governments. Money and control of the population come before health in the eyes of those who run the world.
dangerous drugs
Interesting point submitted by Fiona - "alcohol and tobacco are still legal but very dangerous because they are very big business". Much of the trade in illegal drugs is even bigger business with the proceeds undermining the political and judicial systems of many countries. Also whilst supply is in the hands of criminals there is a vested interest in moving users to greater dependency. Perhaps it's time to consider bringing these illegal drugs within the law so that the proceeds can be channeled back into education and treatment and the socio-economic effects of the illegal trade lessened. It seems purely arbitrary or an accident of history that alcohol and tobacco are legal and the rest on the list are not. Criminals will always win out in the drugs war. They have more resources, perhaps more resourcefulness and certainly fewer scruples. So maybe it's time to think about a different strategy.
List of poisonous substances
Tobacco is nothing compared to alcohol. To become seriously ill from smoking, you need to smoke heavily, and probably for years, also. To destroy yourself or someone else completely (death), or to cause the most unspeakable social and emotional misery, or physical damage, you need to overconsume alcolol - JUST ONCE. No, and none of these substances should be banned. What's next? "Junk food"? Who pays for the new, giant-sized government department to enforce all this?
I am not in favour of tobacco or alcohol, only saying that you don't ban something because some people cannot handle it. I can go without smoking for a whole year, then buy a pack, then go without for another year. And no one is going to deprive me of this, no selfrighteous bureaucrat that is for sure.
List of poisonous substances
To me its so sick that I can buy drinks or cigarettes at one of eighteen million places, and I can get more prescriptions from my doctor than my medicine cabinet can hold, but I risk fine and/or arrest when I try to buy a little marijuana from my local dealer.
I dont like this study and this is why....
The fact that ectasy and LSD are so low on the list, yet are some of the most damaging drugs to take. A lot of regular people drink once or twice a week, for 20 years, but if these people were doing one of these drugs mentioned above that much, they would be completely insane after a few years, if not a few months. I know that addiction and other things are considered in this study, and that people are less likely to do lsd every week, but some people might think, after reading this study, that ectasy is a "safe alternative" to alcohol. I just dont agree with the way this study is portrayed.
Both LSD and Ecstasy are
Both LSD and Ecstasy are safer than Alcohol; It's just that street ecstasy is often cut with speed, meth, or ketamine to conserve money and supplies. If you managed to find pure MDMA/MDA (often a crystalline white powder called "Molly" for slang) then you have clean ecstasy. Just make sure you replenish yourself with water often as you can - it's possible that you can dehydrate and overheat from constant moving/dancing for long periods.
LSD can cause flashbacks, or if you take too much you can have a "bad trip" - which can be easily be prevented provided internet guides.
Only 5% of LSD users report
Only 5% of LSD users report flashbacks and 2% of those people say that the flashbacks were unpleasant or disruptive to their everyday life.
I Don't Like This Study and This Is Why...
I couldn't agree with Jim anymore than that. This study may be scientifically corrent, but its is very decieving social. The average kid on the street has no idea of what the various concentrations of these drugs. By looking at this list, they would inially believe that 'Ecstacy is a "safer alternative" to alcohol'. Doctors, proffesors and scientists may agree with this but society and myself certainly do not. Althogh this wouldn't even be considered a drug but I think the most dangerous substance us Absolute Enthanol.
Apologies if anything I've said resembles utter BS, I've just never been good at science who finished school with an F.
Yeah but no but yeah...
You're right to some degrees. Most kids are highly likely to reason exactly as you mention and get street xtc, which as that other guy mentioned, is rarely clean and go hurt themselves. However, these kids are just as likely to launch themselves into their parents liquorcabinet, get plastered and hurt themselves just as badly, because alcohol is very harmful to the developing brain and body. Also it makes people do really stupid and aggressive things, as we all know I'm sure. My point is that it is not up to bureaucrats to decide, because: 1) Illegal labels create appeal amongst the youth, 2) it allows for druglords to thrive (like that other guy said, again) and their business is pretty much as close to free market economics as you can get. In other words, supply vs. demand is very much met efficiently. Governments could legalize and tax drugs, thus more money for their budgets, less taxes on other things (kind of farfetched, I know!), everybody happy (sort of). 3) adults are responsible for their own actions and should have the choice. 4) Kids are always going to experiment, sorry, but the best you can do is guide them in the right direction and hope they'll do well. At the end of the day they need to make their own decisions and learn for themselves. Parents need to take the role of cornerstones for their children, not enforcers. They get enough of that all the time anyways. Sure, I've tried a few of the listed drugs, but I am not a regular user of anything other than alcohol. I think most of the inacceptance stems from cultural norms and standards. Which is why I don't believe our current drug policies in the western world are likely to change anytime soon.
Drug Use- The List
I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with you here- I know this may not seem positive in theory, but this is the truth right here, and yes I do think people are caught up too much in all the propaganda- I am not a drug taker, but after seeing this list I don't see how alcohol and smoking can be socially acceptable when the other drugs are safer. Think about it this way, the lower substances on the list are less likely to be abused than the higher ones- I think this list should be shown to absolutely everyone- the adults, the students, anyone willing to take scientific truth to heart. Just remember, it is not drugs making people stupid, it is stupid people taking drugs- drugs are to be controlled and used responsibly- and although this can't be done with the higher substances, self control (to a degree) can be excercised over the less deadly drugs on this list. I am a person of honesty, and should I have kids, I will certainly show this list to them before society gives them the idea that because it is legal, it is safe. Alcohol maybe a staple amongst society- but in no way should it be glorified above other drugs which here, have been accurately and honestly placed using scientific opinion. The truth hurts, but it is necessary. And by the way, the only reason LSD can turn people insane, is because LSD is defined by set, and setting- most of the insane people were in situations were the drug was administered without their consent and without any knowledge of the effects whatsoever, so, three guesses they became insane because of questioning what was happening to them. Safety first? Maybe this is the turning point in fear based propaganda. And you think LSD is damaging? think how much your body is being damaged through all those pints before giving out an opinion glorifying it...
DANGEROUS DRUGS
Hello. I don't know if an article has ever been done but I think there should be one concerning pain medicine. One of my closest friends has a problem with abusing them and I have known other people who have abused them.(taking them for reasons other then pain related issues) I myself at one point would find any reason to go into the Doctor to get them. (mainly percocet) I initially was prescribed them when I broke my finger and from then on for back and leg pain.I suffer from anxiety, depression, and panic disorder and I also used to sleep on average about 3-5 hours a day in seperate intervals. Percocet was like my cure all(seriously). I would go to bed early I would wake up and be motivated to take my daughter out to the park and for walks, I would go to the store and not feel the anxiety, social settings didn't bother me, I wouldn't argue and get upset with people, I was really calm and I felt really good(happy) etc.
Then came the morning I woke up and didn't have any. I could barely get out of bed. My entire body hurt. I had a half of a percocet in the bottle and took it and almost instantly the feelings diminished. This was when I realized I had a problem and that I didn't want to depend on medicine to make me better but rather change my lifestyle and get there naturally. I also knew about all the tylonol I was taking that is contained in the pill. Even over the counter tylonol tells you not to use it longer then ten days.
Me and a few of my friends were taking these pain meds( percocet, vicodin) during this time but I stopped. I honestly don't take anything anymore except my insulin. My friend just came by yesterday asking me if I knew anyone that had any pain meds or if I still had any xanax or ativan. She buys the pills. I feel bad for her and I know when people can't get ahold of their high they usually go to the next closest thing thats easy to get and I fear one day she will be doing heroine or some other street drug.
People need to really see the devastation of pain killers and how they ruin peoples lives. This is one of the most dangerous drugs to me because it's easier to take them without worrying because you get them from your doctor. Also they really do make life better for the moment and you feel like everything is ok, but once the medicine stops working the only way to function is to get more. It's like the medical equivalent to any highly addictive street drug. I also want to say I think doctors loosely prescribe these drugs and don't think of the patients well being. I would get them easily at any E.R for anything from back pain to a tooth ache.
Some Issues
I think one problem with this list is there is no consideration from the concentration of drugs. Other drugs being compared with alcohol which would be at number 1 if it was 100%, so where do you draw the line as to concentration.
Also, they forgot sugar. Most first world countries have strong addictions to it and it IS a drug which causes significant problems for both individuals and society. Unless you count the leaders (dictators).
O.o teaching the truth protecting the kids.
Scary things you learn about from drug facts. I would hate for anyone I know to ever start doing drugs. Especially heroin or cocaine, they seem like some or the worse drugs that people could take. Also Inhalants they are a very scary thing people do. Also they are extremely dangerous even though the we teenagers do them and think that they are the least dangerous of them all. I am glad you have this site to help people learn the right and wrong for taking drugs.
~Dani
LSD does not make people
LSD does not make people insane who were not insane already. Any argument you can make against LSD, I can counter with perfectly sound evidence and sources that it is in fact a very safe drug. I won't say it's impossible to have a bad trip because people do. They have no idea what to expect from the drug and thus are overwhelmed rather quickly when it doesn't meet their expectations. This could easily be prevented by proper education. But since there's no information out there, there are people who really believe LSD or mushrooms are poisonous, and that they "trip" because they're dying. This is ridiculous. Do some research somewhere other than a government site.
LSD does not make your brain bleed. It doesn't stay in your spine forever, and it doesn't make you insane after any particular number of times. It exacerbates existing mental disorders. Most drugs have that effect. Stop falling prey to propaganda. I've taken LSD upwards of 20 times and I've never once thought I would lose my mind. The only thing LSD ever caused me to do was re-evaluate my actions and the way I live my life. And giggle. I certainly did not become violent, fiend for more LSD, sell my belongings and steal other people's belongings to pawn to support my LSD habit. I ate my acid, stayed inside, and had a fun responsible time in the safety of my own home. Some of this crap is absolutely ridiculous...
THERE IS NO GUY WHO THINKS HE IS A GLASS OF ORANGE JUICE! STOP SPREADING MISINFORMATION!