With the proliferation of varieties of illegal and prescription drugs in this country over the past decade, it might be wondered what, if anything, drugs even have in common with each other anymore. Why even talk about a hallucinogen and an opiate, say, in the same breath? A recent graph released by Professor R. S. Gable shows some answers. Besides being both psychoactive and either illegal or regulated in usage by the Drug Enforcement Agency, the most commonly abused drugs in America are comparable in some interesting ways. Professor Gable's work, for example, measures how such drugs rank with respect to two characteristics: their toxicity, and their potential for dependence. The graph generated from his research is thus a valuable tool for determining the overall "danger" of commonly abused substances.
It should come as no surprise that marijuana makes an appearance here. As one of the most commonly abused drugs in America, marijuana is often thought of as a "gateway" substance which, sadly, serves as a young person's first introduction to drug abuse. While the addictive potential of marijuana is low-to-moderate, the potency of THC in cannabis plants has been steadily increased by growers over the past four decades, meaning that highs are now more powerful than ever before. Still, about 1000 "active doses"—scientifically, the amount required to induce a change in the user's body—for marijuana to become lethal. For this reason, it ranks as the fifth most dangerous drug in Gable's study.
With the fourth most dangerous drug, we make a dramatic leap in toxicity. Ecstasy, or MDMA, similarly to marijuana has a moderate-to-low potential for addiction, but requires only fifteen active doses in order to become lethal. Popularized as a party drug at night clubs and raves, the Schedule I controlled substance is often abused by revelers seeking the sense of euphoria and altered consciousness it provides. But in addition to ultimately causing a severe psychological and physical "low" for abusers, Ecstasy isn't all high times; Jeff Gordon, Lead Counselor of Narconon notes that, "Many Ecstasy-related deaths have resulted from dehydration while using the drug."
While, statistically speaking, alcohol causes more fatalities than any other drug in America, it ranks third in our study due to the fact that it is only moderately physiologically addictive. Alcohol is highly toxic to the body, however, and takes only about 10 active doses in order to become lethal.
At number two, cocaine ranks as an extremely dangerous substance. Many cocaine and crack-cocaine addicts report having become addicted after only one hit, and the drug is a major cause of crime throughout the country due to its high addiction potential. Thirteen doses are all it takes for cocaine to reach deadly levels of toxicity for abusers.
As the number-one most dangerous drug in our study, heroin is by far the most lethal and addictive of the group. Heroin use often leads to complete dependency, and with this high rate of addiction, its frequent usage ravages addicts' health. Extremely difficult to quit, heroin also has a low "margin of error"—the least mistake in estimating dosage quantity or potency can result in an overdose. It takes only five active doses for heroin to become lethal.
Drug rehabs in Metairie report that heroin is not a drug that they have to deal with regularly, but rehabs servicing the inner city New Orleans population have more trouble with it.
Louisiana drug rehabs are often ill-equipped to deal with heroin abuse.
