What is the Most Dangerous Drug?
So what is the most dangerous drug? This is a subjective question. All drugs, whether they are prescription, over-the-counter, legal or illicit, can be dangerous. This is especially true for the latter. Some argue that alcohol is the most dangerous drug due to its widespread availability. Others believe nicotine/tobacco to be the most dangerous drug due to its extreme popularity. And some believe synthetic opioids have now surpassed others in ranking as the number one most dangerous drug due to the decades-long opioid overdose crisis.
According to data and research collected from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Drug Enforcement Administration, and National Institute on Drug Abuse, tobacco, alcohol, and opioid painkillers are the top most dangerous drugs responsible for the most direct deaths in a year.
Depending on the parameters of measuring how dangerous a substance can be, there will be variations in which drugs outrank each other in terms of danger to the public health and the community.
What makes a drug dangerous? What are the factors that need to be considered?
In collective research, some of the most commonly examined parameters for measuring data on drugs and mind-altering substances include varying factors.
- Can the drug cause an overdose? Addiction not only consumes a person’s physical health, but it can also consume their mental health leading the user to believe they need more drugs and ultimately leading to an overdose of toxic chemicals in the body.
- Does the drug lead to a quick and intense addiction? Some drugs are extremely habit-forming and can lead to dependence early on during use.
- Can the drug eventually kill you if used long-term? Drugs such as synthetic opioids are highly likely to cause an overdose and in some cases death.
- Does the drug hurt loved ones, strangers and members of your community? Drug use not only affects the person who is abusing, but it can also affect the people around them.
- Is the drug widely available? Prescription medications, over-the-counter medications and alcohol can be easily and widely accessible to the masses.
The Three Most Dangerous Drugs
Alcohol
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), alcohol is reported to be the most dangerous substance. Excessive alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Alcohol is responsible for an estimated 95,000 deaths in the U.S. annually. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that slows down activity in the brain and body. This means it can lower inhibitions and alter mood. It is a legal substance so it is widely available and accessible to most of the public.
The stages of alcohol abuse begin with social drinking, moderate drinking, binge drinking and then heavy drinking.
However, alcohol abuse can lead to dangerous side effects and even deadly outcomes. It has been linked to various types of cancer, hypertension, heart disease, fetal damage, increased risks of suicide, violence and erratic behaviors. According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, alcohol plays a significant role in about 40% of violent crimes.
Alcohol-induced liver disease has led to an astonishing and rising number of deaths. Traditionally, this type of condition affected older adults who have had many years of alcohol abuse. Today, more and more younger people are being diagnosed with this condition due to an increase in alcohol abuse among the younger generation. Alcoholic liver disease, liver cirrhosis and fatty liver disease are deadly conditions and are directly caused by alcohol abuse.
Nicotine
When taking into consideration drug availability, drug addiction and drug deadliness, tobacco, nicotine and cigarettes rank as one of the most dangerous drugs. Although some may argue, that tobacco is not considered a drug because of its legal nature, its accessibility and its popularity in every age group and every culture. Each year, an estimated 480,000 people die from tobacco-related issues including lung cancer, heart disease and breathing conditions.
Smoking cigarettes is the leading cause of preventable death and causes an estimated 90% of lung cancers. More Americans die from tobacco-related health problems than from reported drug overdoses, car crashes, and homicides combined. Tobacco cigarette smoking is linked to an estimated one in five deaths in the U.S. each year according to the CDC.
Tobacco use is highly addictive. It leads to damage in many different organs, especially the lung and throat. It can even lead to secondhand smoke side effects. The drug is legal and there is a growing popularity among the younger generation who have no turned to using e-cigarettes also known as vapes.
Opioids
At its peak, drug overdoses have killed more Americans than car crashes, gunshots or AIDS. The US has been fighting this public health epidemic for decades now with opioid drugs such as fentanyl leading the charge in overdose and overdose deaths. The crisis will on get more severe as other synthetic opioids become more and more popular. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is cheap, powerful and the biggest drug problem in modern history. It is not a new drug and has been around for decades as a prescription painkiller and anesthetic.
The CDC reported this powerful painkiller is about 50-100 times more potent than morphine. It is highly addictive and can be injected, snorted, swallowed or blotted on paper. It is now easily accessible because it is freely marketed online. Fentanyl is also cheaper than other opioids so manufacturers and dealers often cut other substances with fentanyl in order to produce a stronger product and for a cheaper price. Fentanyl becomes more lethal when it is used with other substances such as cocaine, meth and heroin.
Heroin is another highly addictive synthetic opioid that is popular for its fast-acting properties. According to the CDC, heroin killed an estimated 4,454 people in 2011 and has increased to 15,961 in 2016. It continues to be one of the leading killers of those who are struggling with a substance use disorder because users often mix the drug with cocaine, meth and fentanyl. Heroin can produce a quick and intense euphoric rush that can easily develop into an addiction.
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Other drugs that fall under the top most dangerous drug list
From 2011 to 2016, some of the most frequently mentioned drugs that were associated with overdose and death included hydrocodone, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, cocaine, meth, alprazolam and diazepam.
- Valium – Valium is often prescribed to treat muscle aches and seizures. However, long-term use causes sleeping issues, hallucinations, anxiety and seizures. Valium is a CNS depressant and can be dangerous when combined with other substances. The CDC reports finding other drugs always involved in valium overdose deaths.
- K2/spice – This type of drug is a lab-made substance. It is a mind-altering chemical similar to chemicals from marijuana plants. It can produce unpredictable effects and synthetic cannabinoids can affect the brain more intensely than marijuana. This often leads to extreme anxiety, confusion, paranoia, and hallucinations.
- Ecstasy – MDMA is a popular nightclub drug that alters mood and awareness of surroundings and is often mixed with other substances. No amount is safe to use.
- Ketamine – Ketamine is a dissociative drug used as an anesthetic in human and veterinary practice. It can induce feelings of complete detachment. These feelings can become addictive and during long-term abuse, can cause delirium, impaired memory, impaired motor function, high blood pressure and respiratory depression.
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Treatment for Substance Use Disorder
What is the most dangerous drug? It can be difficult to label one drug as the most dangerous when all drugs can be dangerous. Some drugs can be extremely harmful to people but they are so rarely used that they are not a major public threat. Some drugs have more short-term risks compared to long-term risks. Other drugs are more dangerous when users engage in long-term abuse. Hotel California by the Sea provides substance use disorder treatment to people in all stages of treatment and recovery. We specialize in treating alcohol use disorder and substance use disorders.
We offer different levels of care including detox, residential and outpatient programs. We utilize evidence-proven techniques such as CBT, DBT and group therapy. Not only are we treating the substance addiction, but we are also treating any co-occurring mental health conditions often associated with having a drug or alcohol addiction. Hotel California by the Sea provides the support, tools and resources to help all clients overcome their addiction.
References:
https://www.rehabspot.com/drugs/the-top-10-most-dangerous-drugs/
https://www.addictioncenter.com/news/2019/08/15-most-dangerous-drugs/
https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2020/fentanyl-the-most-dangerous-illegal-drug-in-america.html
https://zinniahealth.com/substance-use/blog/worst-drugs
https://www.vox.com/2014/5/19/5727712/drug-alcohol-deaths
https://www.goodrx.com/well-being/substance-use/worst-dangerous-addictive-drug