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Rate alcohol like illegal drugs, says top scientist
Sophie Goodchild, Health Editor25.11.08
THE harm done by tobacco and alcohol should be rated on the same system as illegal drugs, a leading scientist said today.
Professor Sir Gabriel Horn, who chaired a special committee on drug use, warned that dependency on drink and cigarettes was spiralling out of control and urgent measures were needed to curb their misuse.
Professor Horn told the Government's drug advisers in London that many people believe alcohol is more harmful than heroin or cocaine.
He told the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs: "It's been recognised that [alcohol] is the most harmful recreational drug you could use. The risks are very similar to illegal substances. Alcohol and tobacco highjack the same part of the brain [as illegal drugs].
"This statutory body could be used as a really efficient conduit to prevent misuse. We must do something about this appalling burden to the nation.
"How long have we known about the dangers of tobacco smoke? But it took the Government a long time to take action and issue warnings. It's dangerous stuff."
Illegal drugs are regulated according to a classification system from A to C, relating to the harm and risks involved in taking them.
One possible new system would be for alcohol and nicotine to be ranked alongside them without being banned.
In Britain the total burden of alcohol misuse in terms of crime and anti-social behaviour is estimated at more than £12billion a year.
Professor Horn, who chaired the Academy of Medical Science's working group on drugs, also called for a special independent committee to be set up which would take the final decision on what ratings individual drugs should be given.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown caused controversy earlier this year when he reinstated cannabis earlier this year as a class B drug. He overruled advice from the ACMD that there was not enough evidence to support such a move. The Lords is debating the drug's reclassification today.
Professor Horn said a new independent classification committee could act in a similar way to the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England, which decides on interest rates independently of government.
Ministers would be barred from choosing committee members, who would be appointed by academic bodies including the Royal Society and the AMS.
Professor Horn told the ACMD: "In my opinion, Parliament should devolve its responsibility on classification to an independent committee. Parliament would have to accept the decision of this classification committee."
Reader views (19)
I think it all about how you look at alcohol and the many factors of a persons personality. Genes, environment, idenity are all major factors in all opioids, hallucinogens, marijuana, and other stimulants. I think that it all has similar effects, urges, feelings. Alcohol is very dangerous and can consume your life.
- Gina, san diego, CA, usa
I think it all about how you look at alcohol and the many factors of a persons personality. Genes, environment, idenity are all major factors in all opioids, hallucinogens, marijuana, and other stimulants. I think that it all has similar effects, urges, feelings. Alcohol is very dangerous and can consume your life.
- Gina, san diego, CA, usa
I do agree that we should treat alcohol abuse and drug abuse the same way. The USA is in a second prohibition and it isn't working any better than the first.
- Kelemi, Newburgh, NY - USA
I bet Professor Horn is a ball of fun. He ought to get a life.
- Chas, Little Britain
"Spiralling out of control"!!!!!!!
Such an emotive phrase- strikingly similar to the "epidemic" word used to push for the smoking ban despite the continued fall in smoking prevalence,.
Now he wants yet another 'independent body'for his like-minded friends (and of course funded by us.
Maybe it's about time some of these people (highly paid public servants) were felled from their high horses.
- Chris, Cornwall
The forces of puritanism are truly on the rampage. You will never stop people from imbibing wine, beer and spirits if they want to. If outlawed, illegal stills and breweries would flourish (learn about the American Prohibition in the 1920s and see how spectacularly that failed - and gave rise to vicious gangsterism in the fight to control then illegal supplies of alcohol). Most people do drink responsibly and soon learn their limits. I agree that the drinking age should be raised but the problems we have we with alcohol are cultural and not to do with drink per se. Banning everything that is "bad" for us would make for a very peculiar and boring world.
- Susan Kester, London UK
Alcohol and tobacco kills and destroys more families than all the illegal drugs put together.
I am surprised the government have not come up with a way to legalize drugs and tax them by now.
- Serox, London
Illegal drugs do not cause unparalleled harm to our society, the restrictions on illegal drugs is what does the most harm to ordinary people as they raise the value of drugs to the point where crime committed to play for the inflated prices affects everyday people
It's time that taxes do not go towards nannying these people on drugs. Let people know that drugs can screw up your life if you dont watch out - same as alcohol. Do not impose restrictions on those people who are mature enough to enjoy alcohol (or other drugs) sensibly because others can't. In time society will see that if you want a happy life then you need to exercise restraint, at the moment there's too few showing this restraint because of the constant discussion (read advertising and promotion)
It's long worked for the Dutch (until they had a problem of immporting drug abusers from other countries
- Ged, London
much rather drink vodka and smoke tobacco, than drink flouride and breathe in chemtrails. these are the substances that scientists should be screaming about.
- Frank, stoke on trent uk
Drug abuse causes unparalleled harm to our society and it is right that governments have responsibility for deciding on our drug laws. Where those laws include the classification of different substances in terms of their harm to the individuals families and society it is right that the classification system, whilst informed by expert advice, is the responsibility of ministers. To create an independent committee responsible for drug classification whilst leaving ministers with overall responsibility for drug laws would simply create a confusing array of voices each with partial responsibility for our drug laws. It is a suggestion that will in all probability appeal to those seeking to liberalise our drug laws and it will do nothing to protect our communities from the harms of illegal drugs.
- Professor Neil Mckeganey, Glasgow Scotland
Rate top scientists like alcohol. they always talk as if they've had a skinfull.
- Frank, England.
This is a blatant attempt by the Prof to rig the drugs debate. It would be quite wrong to abandon this vitally important social issue to a small group of unelected scientists who on the basis of what we have seen at the Advisory Council on Drugs Misuse would try to exclude dissenting voices even from within academia. The cannabis hearing of the ACMD was in my view rigged with public funds being used to bring over a notorious drug campaigner from Australia to give evidence, an individual who has very important policy differrences with both our main political parties. The ACMD has had a secret meeting (with the public asked to leave) with a UK based liberalisation/legalisation campaigning group. The drugs debate is too important socially for parliament to give up control. Nice try Professor, it will not wash.
- David Raynes, Bath UK
Just what we need, more illegal drugs. Has Rod of Epping ever heard of Al Capone? Organised crime was created by, and continues to thrive on, unworkable prohibitions.
- David, london, uk
Its long baffled me why alcohol is not talked about in the same terms as drugs. It is a drug and its a very dangerous one and that's a fact.
- Kev, London
Ban idiot scientists before we are all wearing white outfits in a padded environment living in a very sterile world.
- Frank, Home Counties, England
"Illegal drugs are regulated according to a classification system from A to C, relating to the harm and risks involved in taking them."
Regulated? They are all sold illegally by dealers. What sort of regulation is that?
Or as the government likes to state "controlled substances". Controlled? By who? The dealers that is who. Government have no control what so ever on illegal drugs. That is why anyone at anytime can buy any amount.
- Dom, London
Of course this report is correct. Many lives are ruined through intoxicating liquour and nicotine. They should be banned slowly, phased out over, say, 10 years.... goodness knows how but it can't be overnight. Then it will be natural no-one does these destructive drugs. They are a menace and any tax gained from addicts will be seen as a waste anyway. Can we just remove the tax argument from the fact people are destroying themselves? Money is nothing when you are dying a painful death.
- Rod, Epping, UK
Reality is an illusion caused by the insufficient intake of alcohol. Give us the proper leaders and sensible policies and we wouldnt need to 'drug up'. I blame Gordon for my drift into non-reality. Maybe alcohol should be made even cheaper, then nobody would care about the state of the economy. Give the Banks billions...give the breweries trillions. Then nobody would care about reality.
- Colin Bond, London
Good call!
- Christine, Medway, UK
