WHAT'S WORSE: DRUGS OR BOOZE? CANADIANS DON'T KNOW, STUDY SAYS

Days after the federal government earmarked $64 million in its budget
for a national anti-drug strategy, a report says the social and
economic costs associated with alcohol are twice as high as those
racked up by illegal drug use.

The study says Canadians have an exaggerated view of the harms
associated with illegal drugs, possibly fuelled by vivid media reports
and the emphasis given the subject by police organizations, political
leaders and policy makers.

The study, published yesterday by the Canadian Centre on Substance
Abuse, suggests that anti-drug strategies should include alcohol as a
significant part of the equation.

The study said the economic and social costs of alcohol abuse reached
$7.4 billion in 2002, more than twice the $3.6 billion associated with
illicit drug use.

But Canadians' perceptions of the two problems were out of whack with
those figures, the study found.

It said that while only 25 per cent of Canadians identified alcohol
abuse as a "very serious" national problem, 45 per cent said illicit
drug use was "very serious."

The report comes after the minority Conservative government, building
on its law-andorder agenda, announced plans in its March 19 budget to
spend $64 million over the next two years to combat illegal drugs.

The anti-drug money builds on existing programs and initiatives worth
$385 million, some of which are aimed at tackling alcohol abuse.

All the new money, however, is aimed at cracking down on illegal drugs
by targeting marijuana-growing operations and clandestine
methamphetamine labs and gangs and by beefing up investigative resources.

Gerald Thomas, one of the report's authors, said a 2002 study
sponsored by the centre showed that in crimes involving substance
abuse, alcohol tends to have more of a correlation with violent crime
than illicit drugs do.

The study said 49 per cent of murders, attempted murders and assault
were attributable to drugs and/or alcohol.

Five per cent were attributable to drugs only, 28 per cent were
attributable to alcohol only, and 16 per cent were attributable to a
combination of alcohol and illicit drugs.