Is there a difference between the harm to an individual between taking illegal drugs and smoking or drinking?

Answer 1

When it comes to danger, cigarettes and alcohol beat ecstasy, LSD and cannabis, according to a league table of the harm they cause.
The UK Science and Technology Select Committee, which advises the government, commissioned an assessment of 20 legal and illegal stimulants to examine the actual social and physical harm they cause based on scientific evidence.

-From issue 2563 of New Scientist magazine, 07 August 2006

Answer 2

It really depends on what kind of illegal drugs you are talking about. There is a wide range all with different effects. Certainly some of these are much more harmful, and addictive, than smoking or drinking. Smoking and drinking is fine as long as it is at a controlled, sensible level, which can be said for some illegal drugs as well.

Answer 3

Alchahol is a drug, just a legal one. The harm of any drug is down to how toxic it is, it's mental and physical addictive properties and how much you use it. Over use of any drug is harmful. Drink is addictive to some, just as smoking grass can be for some. For more extreme drugs they can have different effects on different people. A person can take LSD once and be mentaly scared for life whilst another can take it a few times and remain unchanged.

All drugs have downsides and these downsides become more pronounced through over use - also over use reduces the effect of a drug.

All this is stating the obvious really.

Answer 4

There ARE differences between the harm caused by all drugs. If you have never had any sort of drug then the worst ones in terms of harm in the long run are; 1) Nicotine, 2) Crack Cocaine 3) Heroin. Combining drugs can makethe harmful effects even worse. For instance Cocaine reacts with alchohol to create a poisonous chemical that kills off even more brain cells than alchohol and cocaine alone....

Answer 5

Taking drugs are obviously not so good for your body. That is why they are illegal. They are not controlled so therefor may contain anything, chemicals that will do no good for your body. However tobacco products are legal, therefor you know what they do. Ok they are still bad for you, but you know the strength, tar, nicotine content etc. Where as with drugs you have no idea. Alcohol is not so bad, in moderation. It can be easy to become addicted to it and many people use it to forget there troubles (myself included), one or two glasses of wine a day is generally ok. Anything more is bad for you.

Answer 6

Yes illegal drugs most of them you eventually want more and you will do anything to get that drug.You will sell your mother if be, lie,steal,kill,you don't care as long as you get the drug of your choice .....smoking you are harming yourself and people around .I have never heard of any smoker killing to get a cigarette. Drinking again you are a danger to society, your mind is not your own and while drinking and driving you are endangering all of us.
All of there things have in common are they are addictive,and the more you take the more you want.

Answer 7

According to reports, Doctor's do not know what the long term health effects of taking Ectasy will have on people.

Speed and Acid have been thoroughly tested on people - mainly American soldiers in the 60's) so we know what the longer term affects are.

But realistically, if you are a social user of some drugs I think that you are at much less risk of long term ill health than those who drink and smoke everyday.

Answer 8

each drug does a different thing to your body even though many go through the same process. drinking effects the liver whilst smoking the lungs. some illegal drugs are addictive whilst others like lsd arnt but some drugs are depressants whilst others arnt. it depends on the person as a whole.

Answer 9

I would say substance abuse or addiction to any object is unhealthy and harms the overall development of an individual.

In addition to what you have asked in your question addiction to food is harmful as well so is addiction to one's work or fitness and so on.

There has to be a balance with everything. And only you can decide what that is.

Answer 10

Yes. The latter can 'Terminate Your life' within a few short hours (depending on various circumstances), the former can do the same, though over a number of years ~ unless you happen to get run down by a beer or cigarette delivery vehicle.

Sash.