Pubdate: Fri, 04 Aug 2006 Source: Mirror, The (UK) Copyright: 2006 The Mirror Contact: http://www.mirror.co.uk/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1161 Author: Mike Swain, Science Editor Note: The 179 page report 'Drug Classification: Making a Hash of it?' may be accessed at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmsctech.htm Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/area/United+Kingdom MAKE BOOZE AND CIGS CLASSIFIED DRUGS They're Rated Worse Than LSD BOOZE and cigarettes are more harmful than LSD and cannabis, experts warned yesterday. In excess, they can wreck health, destroy families and have a devastating effect on society. And they should be classified among the top 10 most dangerous drugs, say anti-abuse campaigners. A list drawn up for the Home Office rated alcohol as the fifth most hazardous - behind heroin, cocaine, barbiturates and street methadone. Tobacco came ninth in the league table of 20 - well ahead of Ecstasy. The list was used by a committee of MPs to recommend scrapping the present ABC classification of drugs. They want a new system which rates substances according to the harm they do - rather than the legal penalties they attract. Phil Willis, chairman of the Science and Technology committee, said: "The only way to get an accurate and up-to-date classification system is to remove the link with penalties and just focus on harm. That must be harm not only to the user but harm defined by the social consequences as well." Lib Dem Evan Harris called the present system an "evidence-free zone". The new assessments were compiled after consulting a range of experts to rate the physical harm, potential for addiction and social damage. Sceptics fear the new list may send out the wrong signals to youngsters by suggesting that some drugs are less damaging than previously thought. But Lord Victor Adebowale, of social care organisation Turning Point said: "Our work across the country tells us a classification system should take into account the health, social and economic costs of misuse." Policy officer Louise Inman added: "We need a sensible debate to create a proper classification system." [sidebar] TOP 20 DANGER DRUGS: 1 Heroin 2 Cocaine 3 Barbiturates 4 Street Methadone 5 Alcohol 6 Ketamine 7 Benzodiazepines 8 Amphetamine 9 Tobacco 10 Buprenorphine 11 Cannabis 12 Solvents 13 4-MTA 14 LSD 15 Methylphenidate 16 Anabolic Steroids 17 GHB 18 Ecstasy 19 Alkyl Nitrites 20 Khat - --- MAP posted-by: Derek