Alcohol more harmful than heroin, crack: study

A British report ranked 20 different drugs by the harm they do to both the user and wider society.

A panel of experts compiled the report by ranking each substance on a number of factors including mental and physical damage, addiction, crime, and effect on the community. Published in the Lancet medical journal, it found that while heroin, crack, and crystal meth are the most damaging to individual users, alcohol is far and away more harmful for society because of how many people drink. Heroin and crack were ranked as the second and third most harmful overall. Tobacco and cocaine were virtually tied at fifth on the list. The report was spearheaded by Prof. David Nutt, the U.K.’s former chief drugs adviser, and contradicts most nations’ drug policies, which focus largely on campaigns against tobacco and illegal drugs.