title: Should ethanol be scheduled as a drug of high risk to public health?
abstract: Six criteria described in the New Zealand Misuse of Drugs Act and used by the Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs (EACD) for determining the risk of a drug to public health were examined in relation to ethanol, using gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) as a comparator drug. GHB is an ideal candidate for use as a comparator because it is a sedative substance very similar to ethanol and has been previously investigated by the EACD using these six criteria. GHB was subsequently classified as a Class B1 drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act, that is, as a prohibited drug of high risk to public health. The dangerousness level of ethanol was found to be at least similar to that of GHB in this analysis. This highlights a major discrepancy in public policy.
authors.affiliation: National Addiction Centre, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand. doug.sellman@otago.ac.nz
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Sellman
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beasley
mesh_terms: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000633:toxicity*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D033161:Government Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007880:Legislation, Drug; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D011634:Public Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012978:Sodium Oxybate / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards / Q000633:toxicity; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol; D012978:Sodium Oxybate