AUCKLAND, New Zealand: A new report by British researchers in The Lancet argues that alcohol and tobacco are more dangerous than some illegal drugs, including marijuana or Ecstasy. The study, based on evidence of actual risks and harms associated with drugs, suggests that alcohol and tobacco be legally reclassified as among the top 10 most dangerous drug substances. The report follows an independent commission by theA Royal Society of ArtsA that described Britain's drug laws as driven by "moral panic." [continues 556 words]
The Truth About North America's Greatest Drug Problem. Ritalin. On any given day in North America, almost five million kids will take a powerful psychostimulant drug. The geographical caveat is important: more kids in North America are diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and given drugs like Ritalin to "help" them behave than in the rest of the world combined. In fact, the US and Canada account for a startling 95 percent of worldwide Ritalin consumption. In the midst of this drug epidemic, April 2001 appeared to signal a backlash. Two television magazines, PBS's Frontline and A&E's Investigative Reports, pondered the massive increase in use, as did a five-part series in Canada's National Post newspaper. [continues 710 words]
