Alcohol More Harmful Than Heroin & Crack. Why Then Is It Legal?

A Hypocritical Bureaucracy?
Published by The Duchesne

So there I was looking for strepsils in Marks & Spencer's when the headline hit me, "Alcohol more harmful than heroin, crack and cocaine says new study".

First thoughts; oh here we go again, another sensationalised headline. Seriously. If it's not one thing it's the next. They'll soon be telling us to stop eating oranges as it damages teeth enamel! Come on, get a grip people. We all know anything that is overdone can and will be harmful. It is all about moderation.

Not to bore you with statistics and facts but let's get to the headline. This came about from a research which shows that alcohol all round is more harmful than illegal drugs. The study showed that alcohol is 3 times more harmful as cocaine and concluded that if substances were classified according to the harm they do, then alcohol would be class A, along with heroin and crack cocaine. 

Having second thoughts yet about that drink you last had?  Well, the researchers will have to come a tad better than that say I. 

Like everything else in life, it's all about moderation.

I won't be giving up my bubble bath session (red wine in hand) just yet, or my barbecue picker upper! 

           

Alcohol consumption can be actually good for you as it reduces the risk of heart disease along with other diseases

The French for example, whose diet is considered to be very high in saturated fat have a notably low death rate from coronary disease. This has been put down to the high consumption of wine the French intake. Findings are the same across other Southern European countries. 

Red Wine contains resveratrol, a disease fighting,  and anti-ageing ingredient. In fact Red Wine was listed as one of the things that can make you live longer in a previous study. Studies also show that men can cut their risk of prostate cancer in half by having a glass per day.

  

What we must note,  is that the study that prompted this headline looked at the substances plus the wider harm they do to society in terms of environmental and socio-economic costs. These included health care, prison etc. The other substances were found to be the most lethal, however alcohol ranked higher for overall harm. 

The question - why is alcohol still legal if there is so much concern around the socio-economic effects? Bureaucratic  hypocrisy? 

That one is for you to ponder.

All I will say is; if you indulge in alcohol, don't start tossing out your wine, whisky, vodka or whatever just yet.  Just remember to keep it light and be responsible. Again, it's all about moderation. 

Shall we toast to that?

    

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Photography, The Web