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March 27, 2007[/SIZE]
Scientists in Britain are proposing a complete revamping of drug classifications in the wake of findings that reveal some major discrepancies between a drug's legality and its safeness. A study surveying health, crime and science professionals regarding the dangers of a set of 20 legal and illegal drugs, published in The Lancet in March 2007, found that
alcohol and
tobacco, which are legal in Britain and the United States, are considered by experts to be more dangerous than ecstasy and
marijuana, which are illegal in both countries.
In Britain, under the Misuse of Drugs Act, illegal drugs (including prescription drugs sold on the street) are classified as A, B or C. Class A is supposed to be the most harmful, and Class C is supposed to be the least harmful. For instance, heroin is a class A drug, and marijuana is a class C drug. The study was intended to achieve harm rankings for 20 drugs, 15 illegal substances and five legal substances that have shown potential for harm, using a systematic, scientific approach. The researchers surveyed two separate groups of experts including medical doctors, mental health professionals, scientists and forensics experts. Each group returned similar ranking results for the 20 drugs based on three primary features:
- physical harm to the person using the drug
- the drug's potential for abuse and/or dependence
- the drug's ill effects on society
The results, shown below, revealed some apparent inconsistencies in Britain's drug-classification system.
<table color="lightblue" align="center" border="1" width="440"><tbody><tr> <td>
Drug</td><td><center>
Study Ranking</center></td><td><center>
Legal Classification</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Heroin</td><td><center>1
[SIZE=-1](most harmful)[/SIZE]</center></td><td><center>A</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Cocaine</td><td><center>2</center></td><td><center>A</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Barbiturates
[SIZE=-1](sedatives)[/SIZE]</td><td><center>3</center></td><td><center>B</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Methadone
[SIZE=-1](opioid)[/SIZE]</td><td><center>4</center></td><td><center>A</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Alcohol</td><td><center>5</center></td><td><center>legal</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Ketamine
[SIZE=-1](anesthetic)[/SIZE]</td><td><center>6</center></td><td><center>C</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Benzodiazepines
[SIZE=-1](sedatives)[/SIZE]</td><td><center>7</center></td><td><center>C</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Amphetamine
[SIZE=-1]("speed")[/SIZE]</td><td><center>8</center></td><td><center>B</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Tobacco</td><td><center>9</center></td><td><center>legal</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Buprenorphine
[SIZE=-1](opioid)[/SIZE]</td><td><center>10</center></td><td><center>C</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Cannabis</td><td><center>11</center></td><td><center>C</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Solvents</td><td><center>12</center></td><td><center>legal</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td>4-methylthioamphetamine
[SIZE=-1](amphetamine derivative)[/SIZE]</td><td><center>13</center></td><td><center>A</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td>LSD</td><td><center>14</center></td><td><center>A</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Methylphenidate
[SIZE=-1](i.e. Ritalin?)[/SIZE]</td><td><center>15</center></td><td><center>B</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Anabolic steroids</td><td><center>16</center></td><td><center>C</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Gamma 4-hydroxybutyric acid
[SIZE=-1](depressant, "date-rape drug")[/SIZE]</td><td><center>17</center></td><td><center>C</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Ecstasy</td><td><center>18</center></td><td><center>A</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Alkyl nitrites
[SIZE=-1](nitrite inhalants, "poppers")[/SIZE]</td><td><center>19</center></td><td><center>legal</center></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Khat
[SIZE=-1](plant-derived stimulant)[/SIZE]</td><td><center>20
[SIZE=-1](least harmful)[/SIZE]</center></td><td><center>legal</center></td></tr></tbody></table>
