Did you know alcohol is rated in the top 5 most addictive substances on earth? Can you guess who the other 4 culprits are? Lets take a look;
1.Nicotine
Most of us know someone who smokes and its great that the numbers of people who have quit smoking has doubled between 1974 and 2014 from 27% to 55%, however it’s still interesting to point out that even though quitting nicotine has never been easier with the accessibility of quitting aids and help available over the past 10 – 15 years, nicotine is a real addictive danger and still very easily obtained.
2.Barbiturates (‘downers’)
Also known as blues, yellows, barbs & pink ladies – barbiturates carry a serious threat of addiction among users. The availability of barbiturates has dramatically declined over recent years as advances in medicine has led doctors to opt for alternative drugs to fill prescriptions for conditions such as anxiety or sleep disorder.
3.Cocaine
Cocaine is an extremely addictive black market drug that immediately effects the human brains use of naturally produced dopamine. Cocaine prevents neurons in the brain from turning the dopamine signals off. The effects of cocaine are short lived and can be devastating to not only your health but to your life in general.
4.Alcohol
Alcohol is the 2nd most addictive substance on the planet. Beating nicotine & cocaine alcohol can have devastating effects on your health. The UK guideline for alcohol is 14 units per week for both men and women. The major problem with alcohol is its availability. Alcohol is legal and socially accepted throughout the UK and Europe and is deemed to be a large part of our social lives. Sticking to the UK guidelines on alcohol could decrease the risk of many cancers and generally improve your health.
5.Heroin
Experts say the most addictive substance on the planet is Heroin giving it a score of 2.5 out of a maximum score of 3. Heroin causes the brains level of dopamine to increase by up to 200%. Like cocaine, heroine damages both the user and society. The market for heroin is estimated to be in the region of £51 billion worldwide (2009 stats)
So there you have it, not only is alcohol listed in the top 5 most addictive substances on the planet, it made it to no. 2!
