Pubdate: Sat, 22 Nov 2003
Source: New Scientist (UK)
Copyright: New Scientist, RBI Limited 2003
Contact:  http://www.newscientist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/294
Author: Duncan Cameron, Parents Against Lethal Addictive Drugs

LEGAL KILLERS

Tam Dalyell seems all too willing to accept the Home Office's belief
that heroin and cocaine are the most harmful drugs (8 November, p 51).
I doubt he has seen any evidence that these illegal drugs are more
harmful than the legal drugs alcohol and tobacco.

The World Health Organisation estimates that tobacco use contributes
to 6% of deaths, alcohol 1.5% and illegal drugs a mere 0.2% of deaths.
Of course tobacco use is more common than illegal drug use but only by
a factor of about 6.

Our current discriminatory drug laws are based on prejudice rather
than evidence. As a result the law misleads people - especially the
young - into believing that legal drugs are safer than illegal drugs.
This inevitably contributes to the death toll from alcohol and tobacco.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager