Alcohol Is Straining U.K.’s Health Care System

A new report by the NHS Confederation and Royal College of Physicians says the United Kingdom’s drinking culture is straining their health care system. The U.K.'s taxpayer-funded medical system, the National Health Service, now spends 2.7 billion pounds ($4.4 billion) a year treating patients for alcohol-related problems—double the amount five years ago, the report said.

Any strain on the U.K.'s health care system caused by marijuana users was not mentioned. Maybe it’s because they’re not straining the system?  A 2006 study by the Canadian government concluded that the health care costs per alcohol user are eight times greater than the health care costs per marijuana user.

The new report also warns that about 10.5 million adults in Britain drink above sensible limits, and 1.1 million people have some form of alcohol addiction.  In contrast, dependence on marijuana is both rare and mild.  In a report commissioned by the White House, the Institute of Medicine concluded that, “Compared to most other drugs … dependence among marijuana users is relatively rare.”  So, why does the substance that’s far less toxic, harmful and addictive remain illegal?