I wouldn't disagree with the view that alcohol is a very dangerous substance, but what concerns me is that this bald statement that's been given out in the media could be very misleading to young, impressionable people - young people who perceive alcohol as 'fun' and comparatively harmless, and who may take it as a signal that smack and crack, having been 'officially' declared 'less harmful' than alcohol, are 'OK' to use.

I think there's a danger that 'ranking' harmful substances like this, in a very public way, may be counterproductive and, far from telling young people that 'this' is less harmful than 'that', the message that should be rammed home forcefully is that these substances are all VERY harmful.

Seems to me that there's a great deal of qualification needed, and much education, otherwise even more harm could result from this statement.