Drugs are bad and addictive, right? Well yes, but some are more addictive than others. And while we all know that alcohol is technically a drug - despite the fact it's completely legal in most countries worldwide - we tend to ignore just how unhealthy and addictive this can be, too.
New data from a group of researchers specialising in addiction – including experts from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, chemists, forensic scientists and pharmacologists – shows that, actually, alcohol is up there with some of the most hard-hitting drugs when it comes to its addictive qualities.
Here are the top five substances researchers found to be most addictive in terms of both physical and psychological dependency, based on a rating out of 3 (3 being most addictive, 0 being not at all addictive):
5. Alcohol
Psychological dependency: 1.9/3
Physical dependency: 1.6/3
4. Barbiturates
Psychological dependency: 2.2/3
Physical dependency: 1.8/3
3. Tobacco (nicotine)
Psychological dependency: 2.6/3
Physical dependency: 1.3/3
2. Cocaine
Psychological dependency: 2.8/3
Physical dependency: 1.3/3
1. Heroin
Psychological dependency: 3/3
Physical dependency: 3/3
Maybe now's the time to cut down on the smack, hey?
