There is a great deal of attention on drug abuse in this country. Rightly so because it is getting very dominant. One thing that is not mentioned very often is alcohol abuse. There was a report in the Lancet that rated alcohol as the most harmful of all drugs. How did they get to that conclusion? They assessed 20 different drugs and they looked at the harm each one does to the individual themselves and to others who are affected. At the end of their assessment they found alcohol to be the most harmful drug of all. Right after alcohol Crack cocaine and heroin followed.
According the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, long term alcohol abuse has serious harmful effects and they are mostly on the body’s organs. Heavy drinking for a long time can cause sickness and death from liver disease. It can damage the immune system. People who use alcohol for a long period of time can have cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure and stroke. These people also get an increased risk of bone fracture. They are absolutely damaging their health and shortening their lives.
When the assessment was made it was found that alcohol was by far the most harmful drug to society according the Lancet Report. It was found that injury to others was increased like domestic violence and traffic accidents. Crime was increased by those who had drunk alcohol. There is family breakdown with alcohol abuse, as well as economic loss. Emotional well being is chipped away at and child neglect is high with someone who abuses alcohol. There are health care issues that increase and services by the community are included in this increase like police work and social services. Because of this one person who abuses alcohol there is a loss of social cohesion and a decline in reputation of community.
In the U.S. it is reported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism approximately one in 12 adults abuse alcohol or is alcohol dependent. Alcohol has dreadful medical harms to alcoholics and it has tragic and costly consequences to others and to society it is safe to say that alcohol deserves its nomination as the most harmful of all drugs. For their own good we should intervene in and change the destructive behavior of alcoholics.
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Tags: alcohol abuse, alcohol recovery