Lancet article considers alcohol more dangerous than drugs

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​​​​​​Lancet Publishes contrary and controversial alcohol/drugs study|​
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​01 | November (11th Month) | 2010 AD​
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​Article by Marc Aupiais​
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​In a controversial article, the Lancet Medical journal has given a platform to David ​​Nutt, a controversial scientist who was fired from the British government for his ​​controversial view that dangerous drugs should be classified as less dangerous ​​than they are by the British government. He has suggested that horse riding is ​​more dangerous than ecstasy use, and was angered when the British government ​​refused to accept some of his more controversial views.​
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​The Lancet study considers Alcohol the most dangerous drug in use, 8 times ​​more dangerous than ecstasy. Over a dozen factors were taken into account ​​ranging from lost friendships to damage to the environment, with the acute ​​danger to drugs users themselves only one of many factors. A commentary also ​​appearing in the edition of Lancet noted that the study did not look at cross ​​usage of drugs, but said this was beyond its scope.​
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​Professor David Nutt was fired by then home secretary Alan Johnson for ​​demanding ministers listen to the controversial advice of his government Advisory ​​Council on the Misuse of Drugs, which had fronted his views on drugs in a ​​different format, according to the Daily Mail. Professor David Nutt told the BBC ​​that alcohol is a terrible societal ill in his perspective and that this is because it is ​​so available.​
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​The direct connection between drugs, violent crime, the Taliban, drug lords, and ​​organized crime has not seemed as important to the Lancet "experts" as Alcohol's ​​negative effects. It also does not seem to note that alcohol when taken in ​​moderate amounts is not extensively dangerous to health, and that there are ​​many forms of alcohol.​
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​The study was released just as California considers legalising Cannabis use by ​​the population in general. Cannabis is known to cause schizophrenia in those with ​​genetic predispositions.​
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​The study seems to have relied on value judgements in every case made by "the ​​experts". David Nutt, and another scientist who quit after the British parliament ​​had him fired, are two thirds of the authors of the study.​
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​CNN, and a BBC blog, appear to have portrayed the Lancet study very ​​favourably. A possible factor in Alcohol's high danger rating is the fact that ​​alcohol is legal and openly used and acceptable in society, while drugs are not. ​​The study is being used by drugs legalization special interests campaigners to ​​attempt to get narcotics legalized, despite the fact the study does nothing to ​​reduce the huge personal harm of using narcotics.​
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​While most adults consume alcohol, many with no negative effects, much fewer ​​people regularly take narcotics, giving heed to laws introduced due to high road ​​accidents, deaths, and other preventable societal ills.​​​​​​​​



Sources:

All sources are Secular.

British Sources:

Daily Mail (Independent of 
the state)
"Alcohol 'more dangerous 
than crack, heroin and 
Ecstasy'"01 / November | 11 / 2010
KATHERINE FAULKNER
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1325472/Alcohol-dangerous-crack-heroin.html#ixzz141ucDMiN
BBC World News (British 
Broadcasting 
Corporation) (Not 
Independent of the state)
"Alcohol 'more harmful than heroin' says Prof David Nutt"
01 / November | 11 / 2010
Staff report
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11660210?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

American, Independent of 
the State, Liberal

CNN (Central News 
Network) 
Study: Alcohol 'most 
harmful drug,' followed by 
crack and heroin

01 / November | 11 / 2010
staff report
http://edition.cnn.
com/2010/HEALTH/11/01/alcohol.harm/