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InvisibleveggieM

Registered: 07/25/04
Posts: 17,538
Portuguese experts agree ‘alcohol is more harmful than drugs’ in wake of controversial UK study
    #13437783 - 11/05/10 09:11 AM (13 years, 6 months ago)

Portuguese experts agree ‘alcohol is more harmful than drugs’ in wake of controversial UK study
November 5, 2010 - theportugalnews.com

A controversial new study co-authored by a former UK chief drugs advisor which claims alcohol is more harmful than hard drugs like heroin or crack cocaine has been widely backed by Portuguese experts and clinical professionals.

The new study ranks 20 drugs on 16 measures of harm to both users and to the wider society. Nine measures relate to harm caused to the individual and seven relate to harm inflicted on others, both in the UK and overseas.

The study concluded that, overall, alcohol is more harmful than class-A drugs like heroin and crack cocaine. Tobacco and cocaine are judged to be equally harmful, while ecstasy and LSD are among the least damaging. The findings contradict the UK’s current drugs classification system.

Published in The Lancet medical journal, the study’s results have been backed by experts and professionals in this country who work closely with individuals affected by addictions including drink and drugs.

Andrew Vicente, Chief Executive and clinical collaborator at the Nova Vida Recovery Centre in the Algarve, said he “absolutely, 100 percent” agreed with the findings.

“It is what we have been saying for years to people”, he told The Portugal News, adding “statistically, alcohol kills more”.

Particularly worrying in his opinion is the “destructive nature of alcohol.” Justifying the concern, he explained “A high percentage of domestic violence is attributed to alcohol”, which in more serious cases, he stressed, can lead to unemployment, emotional damage, and the break-up of families.

Another issue is that “children who are brought up in a household where one or both parents are alcoholics can develop inappropriate coping mechanisms”, which could affect them in adulthood, he warned.

In a statement sent to The Portugal News, Alex Flood, Clinical Manager at the Nova Vida Recovery Centre, estimated that for every alcoholic there is usually an average of five family members who are closely affected.

This reinforces the opinion that the ‘new’ classification system supports the long-held view by addiction treatment professionals that alcohol is “far above all other drugs for the damage it does to individuals, families, children, jobs and society in general.”

The study was carried out by the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs, which aims to investigate drug issues without political interference. It was formed by Professor David Nutt after he was sacked from his role as a Governmental advisor.

Each drug was scored by members of the group, plus two experts, for harm including mental and physical damage, addiction, crime and costs to the economy and communities. When the scores for both types of harm were added together, alcohol emerged as the most harmful drug, followed by heroin and crack.

Prof. Nutt explained “If you take overall harm, then alcohol, heroin and crack are clearly more harmful than all others.”

The study ranked alcohol as being three times more harmful than cocaine or tobacco. Ecstasy was ranked as causing one-eighth the harm of alcohol.

Domingos Neto, psychiatrist and ex-director of Lisbon’s Alcohology Centre, told Portuguese newspaper O Público he was not surprised by the findings.

“Alcohol is much more dangerous than you would imagine” he said, deeming it “the cocaine of Europe”.

He also said that in Portugal “there is a lack of integrated public health attitudes to combat the problem.”

In Portugal alcohol is significantly cheaper than in other European countries, such as the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia.

In some establishments ‘Happy Hour’ promotions make it possible to purchase a pint of beer for as little as €1.50.

Andrew Vincent believes the lower price of drink is but a “small contributing factor” to the wider picture and that the bigger issue is the “drinking culture.”

“I think the main problem for Northern Europeans in the Algarve is that alcohol is easily available and it is acceptable; there are no set hours for drinking. It is not unusual to see people drinking in the morning, or having a few drinks after golf or tennis”.

But it is not just foreigners who are being seduced by Portugal’s readily accessible and affordable alcohol; Portuguese youths, particularly those with a higher education, are now the country’s primary alcohol consumers and abusers. Heavy drinking amongst females in this country is also steadily rising.

This year the Portuguese Government upped its efforts in reinforcing alcohol awareness when it approved a National Plan for Reducing Problems Relating to Alcohol, drawn up by the Institute for Drugs and Drug Addiction (IDT). One of the plan’s main objectives is to raise the legal drinking age from 16, as it stands at present, to 18. Another goal is to lower the legal drink-driving tolerance for individuals who have just acquired a drivers’ licence, before 2012.

Andrew Vincent agrees with the greater awareness regarding the effects of alcohol. In his opinion, “prohibition has never worked”, and instead promotes moderation.

“Keep to two, three or four small glasses a day then have a few days without drinking.”

He reiterated that such moderation “is a great way to enjoy a drink”, but that “when it gets to more than that, then it could become a problem”.

Alex Flood reinforced that opinion, saying “In moderation alcohol is an acceptable and pleasant way to celebrate or just to socially interact with close friends and family. When used to excess it not only kills but destroys those around.”

João Goulão, President of the IDT, was at the public launch of the study which took place earlier this week, in London.

Of the study’s findings and assessment methods, he commented, “It is a methodology that while not perfect could be a new way of evaluating, without presupposed ideologies, which is actually quite dangerous.”

Speaking of the IDT’s alcohol-awareness goals for Portugal, he admitted “they will take time” to achieve.

A report from the World Drink Trends Organisation dated 2005 revealed that there were an estimated 1.8 million excessive drinkers in Portugal. More recently, it has been estimated that there are around 500,000 alcoholics in Portugal, of whom between 70,000 and 80,000 are chronic addicts.

According to the 2005 report, 60 percent of the country’s 12-16-year-olds and more than 70 percent of over-16s said they drank regularly.

A study published this year by consumer rights watchdog Deco revealed that more than half of all the country’s under-16’s purchase alcohol, despite it being illegal.

Surveys carried out in 2005 by the IDT’s regional Algarve branch (IDT-Algarve) found that 65.1 percent of the Algarve’s 18-year-olds admitted to drinking; 1.7 percent said they drank on a daily basis, 9.4 percent admitted to drinking on a weekly basis, and 54 percent said they drank occasionally.

These figures, according to IDT-Algarve, make alcohol the most consumed ‘drug’ amongst the region’s teenagers, having risen from 61.2 percent in the year 2000 to 65.1 percent in 2005.

Figures from Portimão’s Barlavento Hospital showed that in 2008, 56 people were treated in the Western Algarve for alcohol poisoning. Of those 15 were aged between 15 and 25, nine of whom were female.

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Offlineshroomzi8
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Registered: 10/04/10
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Re: Portuguese experts agree ‘alcohol is more harmful than drugs’ in wake of controversial UK study [Re: veggie]
    #13437837 - 11/05/10 09:27 AM (13 years, 6 months ago)

so many english experts agree, and what is done about it? bugger all, thats what. cannabis is still a class b drug and alcohol is cheaper than ever. its an accident of history i guess. mahalos.

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Offlinefapjack
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Registered: 07/26/07
Posts: 16,574
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Re: Portuguese experts agree ‘alcohol is more harmful than drugs’ in wake of controversial UK study [Re: shroomzi8]
    #13438356 - 11/05/10 11:49 AM (13 years, 6 months ago)

Crack is twice as dangerous as cocaine...  That makes a lot of sense:rolleyes:


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