Harms Associated With Psychoactive Substance: Findings Of The UK National Drug Survey

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Abstract

Nutt and colleagues' 'rational' scale to assess the harms of commonly used drugs was based on ratings by a panel of experts. This survey aimed to assess drug users' views of the harms of drugs using the same scale. As users' drug choices are not solely based on harms, we additionally assessed perceived benefits. The survey was hosted at National Drug Survey. UK residents reported their experience of 20 commonly used substances; those with direct experience of a substance rated its physical, dependence-related and social harms as well as benefits. A total of 1501 users completed the survey. There was no correlation between the classification of the 20 drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act and ranking of harms by users. Despite being unclassified substances, alcohol, solvents and tobacco were rated within the top ten most harmful drugs. There was a remarkably high correlation (r = 0.896) overall between rankings by users' and by experts. Ecstasy, cannabis and LSD were ranked highest by users on both acute and chronic benefits. These findings imply that users are relatively well informed about the harms associated with the drugs they use. They also suggest that the current UK legal classification system is not acting to inform users of the harms of psychoactive substances.

Source: Harms associated with psychoactive substances: findings of the UK National Drug Survey

 

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Re: Harms Associated With Psychoactive Substance: Findings Of The UK National Drug Su

Thank you for posting this. I see there is Norml Uk division.
I read recently that the rate use of cocaine there is so high that it is in their drinking water.
In the states they are having trouble pulling prescribed meds out of the water supply. Plus any fracking water they dump into the public water supplies for 'cleaning'.
Seriously who wants to smoke or cook fracking chemicals - that increase in potency when heated. And we don't know ALL WE NEED TO because for some FRiggin reason The govt thinks companies can have privacy on this. trying to stay off fracking soapbox but its not easy because it is SO dangerous to the environment and people.
These are some of the concerns I have regarding stateside growing and the water supplies - considering the government wont plant hemp or legalize it industrially to amend soil and environment to reduce deforestation etc.
When I read the medical journals and I think of the studies and the public water unfiltered could it deposit or alter the plant over a period of time; as it does the DNA of a human. And what would the end result be.
(One of the reasons I like the idea of full legalization is that it will impress upon humans in power to rethink the way things are done, pushing away from the currently destructive ELE model of money and power grabbing to a more ecological, sustainable, & holistic view)
I wonder with the water issues they are having would it adversely effect the growers and the plants.
Hence potentially introducing harmful chemicals enough to breakdown a cannabis/hemp plants ability to detoxify the soil.
I am simply pondering. I don't know all the ins and outs of the plants but I'm reading and studying on my own to get a better understanding