MAKE BOOZE AND CIGS CLASSIFIED DRUGS

They're Rated Worse Than LSD

BOOZE and cigarettes are more harmful than LSD and cannabis,
experts warned yesterday.

In excess, they can wreck health, destroy families and have a
devastating effect on society.

And they should be classified among the top 10 most dangerous drugs,
say anti-abuse campaigners.

A list drawn up for the Home Office rated alcohol as the fifth most
hazardous - behind heroin, cocaine, barbiturates and street methadone.

Tobacco came ninth in the league table of 20 - well ahead of
Ecstasy.

The list was used by a committee of MPs to recommend scrapping the
present ABC classification of drugs.

They want a new system which rates substances according to the harm
they do - rather than the legal penalties they attract.

Phil Willis, chairman of the Science and Technology committee, said:
"The only way to get an accurate and up-to-date classification system
is to remove the link with penalties and just focus on harm. That must
be harm not only to the user but harm defined by the social
consequences as well."

Lib Dem Evan Harris called the present system an "evidence-free
zone".

The new assessments were compiled after consulting a range of experts
to rate the physical harm, potential for addiction and social damage.

Sceptics fear the new list may send out the wrong signals to
youngsters by suggesting that some drugs are less damaging than
previously thought.

But Lord Victor Adebowale, of social care organisation Turning Point
said: "Our work across the country tells us a classification system
should take into account the health, social and economic costs of misuse."

Policy officer Louise Inman added: "We need a sensible debate to
create a proper classification system."

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TOP 20 DANGER DRUGS:

1 Heroin

2 Cocaine

3 Barbiturates

4 Street Methadone

5 Alcohol

6 Ketamine

7 Benzodiazepines

8 Amphetamine

9 Tobacco

10 Buprenorphine

11 Cannabis

12 Solvents

13 4-MTA

14 LSD

15 Methylphenidate

16 Anabolic Steroids

17 GHB

18 Ecstasy

19 Alkyl Nitrites

20 Khat