Intelligent Classification
August 8th, 2006 by Alex
Earlier this month, England’s House of Commons Science and Technology Committee released a 179 page report titled Drug Classification: Making a Hash of It (Note: links to .PDF). The report brings up very interesting results, and will most likely have an effect on how drugs are classified in the UK.
This is a definite step in the right direction, because it applies scientific measurements of physical and social harm when devising which substances are the most dangerous to the general population. In the real world, politics play a major role in how and what are classified as the most dangerous drugs with the harshest penalties.
Hopefully, this intelligent approach to drug classification will have a trickle down effect on the United States and it’s politically fueled stance against marijuana. Another important thing to note is that Alcohol and Tobacco both place ahead of Cannabis in these scientific studies. When looking at a graph of this detail, it puts into context the dangers of un-regulated subtances (solvents, tobacco, alcohol, etc…) side by side with illegal substances.
[via The Scientific Activist]
