Alcohol Deadlier Than Heroin, Study Says

Heroin and crack are illegal drugs, their use banned by stiff laws. But alcohol is not only legal, it's advertised heavily in the media. Now, a British study lumps them all in the same category and calls alcohol more dangerous.

Writing in the British medical journal Lancet, researchers analyzed alcohol, along with heroin, crack, ecstasy, marijuana and other drugs. They then ranked the substances according to how destructive they are to the individual that uses them, and to society at large.

Drugs like crystal meth, heroin, and crack ranked high for being dangerous to the individuals taking them, shaving years off of life expectancy. But when the analysis turned to measuring effects on society, alcohol sprang to the forefront.

In its impact on society, and the people closest to the individual using the substance, alcohol was deemed number one, followed by heroin and crack.

Wider use

That's partly because alcohol is a much more widely used substance than its illegal counterparts. It affects, not just those who drink, but the people around them too. The people around them can include family members as well as complete strangers they happen to encounter on the highway.

There have been plenty of recent studies suggesting that moderate consumption of alcohol is not only not harmful, but might have some health benefits. In particular, red wine in recent years has gained a reputation as being good for the heart.

The problem with alcohol, the researchers say, comes when it is not used moderately. Used heavily or in excess, it causes damage to internal organs. Excessive alcohol use can increase the risk of heart disease.

Problem drinkers

And there's evidence that, in the U.S. at least, a lot of people have problems with alcohol. A 2007 study found about 30 percent of Americans report having some form of alcohol use disorder at some point in their lifetimes, including 17.8 percent with alcohol abuse and 12.5 percent with alcohol dependence.

During the 12 months prior to the survey, 8.5 percent of adults had an alcohol use disorder, including 4.7 percent with alcohol abuse and 3.8 percent who were alcohol-dependent.

Strikingly, the study found that alcohol use was also associated with higher death rates and instances of crime than other illegal drugs, including heroin.

The authors conclude that governments should focus efforts on people who use alcohol to excess, not those who use it moderately. In the U.S. in recent years, law enforcement has stepped up efforts to curb drunk driving. The distilled spirits industry has also begun including a "drink responsibly" message in its advertising.

The researchers in no way suggest banning alcohol. After all, that was tried in the U.S. in the 1920s, with less than successful results. The authors do suggest increasing the tax on alcoholic beverages, making them more expensive.