4 ms·
This is an abuse of statistics. I'm not trying to minimize alcohol, but it is like saying "putting up Christmas tree lights is more dangerous than BASE jumping"
by throwaway5752 7y ago
This is an abuse of statistics. I'm not trying to minimize alcohol, but it is like saying "putting up Christmas tree lights is more dangerous than BASE jumping"
On a population basis, putting up Christmas lights kills far more people than BASE jumping. But the danger from each activity in isolation isn't comparable at all.
Far more people drink and smoke than use opioids.
The relationship between opioids and cigarette smoking/vaping appears to be complicated, to complicate things.
- dave_b 7y agoI’d also argue that, on average, the negative impact of an opioid-related death is greater than that of a smoking-related death. The latter tends to manifest as chronic health issues that extend into old age. Terrible, yes, but these people have at least had relatively full lives with the opportunity to have children and be productive for most it. It’s more akin to obesity than a drug overdose. Opioid-related deaths tend to involve the rapid destruction of lives, often of young people full of potential, culminating in sudden death due to overdose. Their friends and family then have to live with that horror for the rest of their lives. In terms of lost potential and the psychological trauma inflicted, there’s no comparison. It’s understandable that people consider opioids to be a worse problem than smoking.
- apta 7y ago> Far more people drink and smoke than use opioids. Probably because they're seen as socially acceptable behavior, and are readily available for anyone to purchase.