deadly drugs & media coverage - GreenPassion.org - Dedicated to Medicinal Cannabis Cultivation and Education

jack_millions · #1 (**permalink**) 11-07-2009, 03:49 AM

Visualising the Guardian Datablog | Information Is Beautiful

Quote:

Visualising the Guardian Datablog November 6, 2009

I’m doing a regular weekly visualisation for the excellent Guardian Datablog, the front-end for an amazing library of statistics and data, lovingly hand-gathered by The Guardian.

My first post is about Deadly Drugs.

There’s been a furore over here in the UK about the dangers of illegal drugs. The Government has sacked its most senior drugs advisor, Dr Professor Nutt, after he claimed cannabis was no more harmful than alcohol. And that horse-riding, and specifically ‘equasy’ (Equine Addiction Syndrome) was riskier than taking ecstasy. (Statistically he’s correct. His study here.).

Anyway, digging at the numbers behind his statements and how drugs are reported in the popular press, I found some stuff I didn’t expect about drug harms.

Shaddow · #2 (**permalink**) 11-07-2009, 05:16 AM

I would be curious to know how 19 people died from cannabis ? ? ?

Sprocket · #3 (**permalink**) 11-07-2009, 06:20 AM

the deaths were no doubt 'attributed' to the use of cannabis, but they more than likely died of unrelated causes. i.e., someone dies in a car crash, the autopsy reveals cannabis is present in the deceased individual's system, and they conclude there is a connection.
that is my speculation, anyways.

personally, i wouldn't mind framing that image and hanging it in my office!

SmokeToLive · #4 (**permalink**) 11-07-2009, 09:37 AM

There are still more deaths from cannabis prohibition than cannabis itself, even if you factored in all of the most extreme / stupid cases of cannabis use.

By itself it just can't kill you. (Unless you're determined to replace your blood stream with hemp oil or something, but good luck with that.)

That 19 deaths is certainly indirect. Even OTC or prescription drug usage is more deadly. (Directly)