The National Institute for Public Health and the
Environment (RIVM) has performed a risk assessment on the harmful effects of
17 drugs plus that of tobacco and alcohol. These 19 items were ranked
according to their degree of harm. The assessment was performed by a panel
of 19 experts who based their judgement on their own scientific expertise
and information derived from the literature. The assessment focussed on the
following three categories: (1) toxicity (acute toxicity and chronic
toxicity), (2) potential for dependency, and (3) social harm at individual
and population levels.
The most important conclusions drawn from the assessment are as follows.
Firstly, alcohol, tobacco, heroin and crack scored relatively high on the
scale for Total harm, whereas magic mushrooms, LSD and khat scored
relatively low. Secondly, the scores of the Dutch expert panel correspond
well with previous findings from British experts as well as previous advice
from the Dutch Coordination point Assessment Monitoring new drugs (CAM).
Thirdly, classed as legal drugs, alcohol and tobacco have been judged by the
experts as more harmful than many of the illegal drugs included in the
assessment - with the exception of heroin and crack. This accounts for the
Total harm at individual and population levels. Finally, regarding Total
harm at individual level, cannabis and ecstasy have been assessed by the
experts as moderately harmful.
