British scientists say that alcohol does more harm to society than heroin, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine, or crystal meth — a finding that could shake up thinking about the drug war. Those illegal drugs are more lethal to individuals. But the researchers say alcohol causes more overall damage because it is used more widely. It also harms not just drinkers but those around them, who have to deal with crime, medical bills, and other social costs of alcohol abuse. Is alcohol really more harmful than hard drugs?
You cannot compare alcohol and drugs: It's "pretty ridiculous" to suggest that alcohol is really as dangerous as heroin, says Mary Elizabeth Williams at Salon. Alcohol is everwhere, and plenty of people consume it in moderation. Hard drugs are far more likely to "decimate the hell out of a person's life," and if they were as easy to obtain as alcohol they would be far more ruinous for society.
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