According to a 2010 study conducted by a group of scientists including Britain’s Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs (ISCD) and David Nutt, a former chief drugs advisor for the British Government, 20 different drugs were rated on the basis of a scale that took into account the various harms caused by an individual drug.
While heroin and crack cocaine were the second and third substances on the list, alcohol scored 72, claiming its place at the top and becoming the most dangerous drug of all.
Widespread, long-term usage to blame?
Dr. Venkatesh Babu, Consultant- Psychiatrist, Fortis Hospitals Bangalore says, “Alcohol might be viewed as being more detrimental over long term because it can cause systemic disturbances such as cardiac, brain, diabetes, and other abnormalities, etc.”
According to the doctor, its widespread, long-term, chronic usage is what makes it most hazardous.
Furthermore, he says that it also causes physical disturbances, as well as disruptions to one’s own mental health as well as the mental health of others, which can result in psychiatric issues, emotional disturbances, or a variety of other issues like secondary depression, panic attacks, sleep disturbances, etc.
However, he is of the opinion that all drugs have the potential to be dangerous or detrimental to people. “The understanding must be either acutely hazardous or chronically detrimental if the question is about which is more dangerous,” he opines.
Dr Rinkesh Bansal, Senior Consultant, Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist, Fortis Memorial Research Institute Gurgaon says, “Alcohol abuse is very prevalent in India because it is a commodity which is easily available. Therefore, we tend to see more alcoholism than substance abuse cases.”
According to the National Health Portal of India, alcohol use is quite common in India both in rural and urban areas with a prevalence rate varying from 23% to 74% in males and 24% to 48 % in females in certain sections and communities.
Globally, 3 million deaths every year result from harmful use of alcohol, while about 0.5 million deaths are attributable to drug use, as per the World Health Organization (WHO).
Health impact of alcohol vs. substance abuse
“Alcohol abuse itself causes a large amount of liver disease because it increases the fat content in the liver as well as it damages the mitochondria of the liver. This is how it harms the oxidative potential, which is the reparative and working potential, of the liver,” Dr. Sharad Malhotra, Senior Consultant & HOD, Gastroenterology Hepatology & Therapeutic Endoscopy, Aakash Healthcare, Dwarka explains.
As far as drug abuse is concerned, the doctor shares that substances like cocaine, heroin that are taken intravenously can directly enter the bloodstream and injure the liver and also give light to diseases like hepatitis B, C and HIV.
Additionally, Dr Bansal shares that with respect to substance abuse, the mental health aspect of our health is affected, which can lead to a sense of dependence.
According to him, both alcohol abuse and substance abuse affect the brain, the neurological pathways, and the functioning of the brain. They cause short term memory loss, delirium, delusions, hallucinations, behavior change, and the dependency or addiction is very tough to break.
With respect to alcoholism the lethal complication of hepatitis and pancreatitis cannot be ignored, warns Dr Bansal. “Even a few drops of alcohol, while soothing an addict can cause massive internal damage (due to the pancreatitis. Substance abuse tends to manifest as an addiction which in the long run weakens the body, the immunity and the proper functioning of the organs,” he explains.
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