Live data from Hacker News

Cancer Doctors Cite Risks of Drinking Alcohol

nytimes.com

31–40 of 167 posts

Re: Cancer Doctors Cite Risks of Drinking Alcohol

#31
post #21
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think we know what to do but nobody has the courage to do something.

Oh? What should we do?

Stop subsidizing junk food. Stop advertising junk food to children (if it's not ok for children to hear he f word it's also not ok to for them to hear about junk food). Subsidize healthy foods. Tax sugary drinks. Do you want more?

Re: Cancer Doctors Cite Risks of Drinking Alcohol

#33
post #17
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There was a thing on BBC where they rated drugs by their danger. If I remember correctly, nicotine and alcohol were way up the list, much higher than most illegal drugs.

My favourite is always Professor David Nutt, fired from his position advising the Home Office for saying ecstasy and LSD were less dangerous than alcohol. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/oct/30/drugs-advis... EDIT: David Nutt on how ecstasy isn't as dangerous as "Equasy" http://www.encod.org/info/EQUASY-A-HARMFUL-ADDICTION.html

Proof if it were needed, that the Home Office is off its Nutt.

Re: Cancer Doctors Cite Risks of Drinking Alcohol

#34

Alcohol is definitely one of the most harmful drugs out there. In terms of addictiveness, physical side effects (short and long term), and the kind of behavior that people are likely to engage in while under the influence, the only things worse are probably IV painkillers and smoked meth/crack. As a society we need to get our heads out of our asses and challenge our notions of what kind of drug use is and isn't accep…

IDK but more than one addict has told me their habit was a symptom of a deeper (emotional?) ill. So we could ban alcohol but then what? Would that solve a problem or will something else just take its place?

does not really add to the discussion. even with emotional stress, i personally prefer smoking weed vs alcohol any day and so do a lot of friends of mine.

Re: Cancer Doctors Cite Risks of Drinking Alcohol

#35
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, MDMA did in fact start as a therapeutic drug. It's roots are not a street / designer drug.

And while most of that research is now banned, Dr Robin Carhart-Harris (who studied under David Nutt) is one of the few researchers still allowed to experiment with psychedelics. I'd highly recommend reading / watching some of his work.

I guess so. But it does seem that once or twice a year I see something about bringing MDMA back as a psycho therapy.

I've certainly met plenty of people who could benefit ;)

Re: Cancer Doctors Cite Risks of Drinking Alcohol

#36

Alcohol is definitely one of the most harmful drugs out there. In terms of addictiveness, physical side effects (short and long term), and the kind of behavior that people are likely to engage in while under the influence, the only things worse are probably IV painkillers and smoked meth/crack. As a society we need to get our heads out of our asses and challenge our notions of what kind of drug use is and isn't accep…

>It's perfectly fine to tell my boss that I got too drunk on Friday

Hell if you worked at a startup, you and your boss might have both gotten drunk at the office together after raiding the "fully-stocked beer cooler". The in-office beer was part of the recruitment strategy of the company after all. Bottoms-up!

I'm a beer-drinker but I still find it astonishing that some startups are providing an addictive and risky drug to employees as a perk.

Re: Cancer Doctors Cite Risks of Drinking Alcohol

#37
post #29

Slightly sarcastic, but on point: Doctors say a glass of red wine per day is good for your blood. But now, they also say it'll increase chances of getting cancer. So I guess I need to choose between these two. Too much of anything is a poison.

On balance, seems better to avoid something that is actively bad for you than seek out something that is actively good for you. Other substances/behaviors may confer the same purported benefit without the same risk.

Re: Cancer Doctors Cite Risks of Drinking Alcohol

#38

Alcohol is definitely one of the most harmful drugs out there. In terms of addictiveness, physical side effects (short and long term), and the kind of behavior that people are likely to engage in while under the influence, the only things worse are probably IV painkillers and smoked meth/crack. As a society we need to get our heads out of our asses and challenge our notions of what kind of drug use is and isn't accep…

> Alcohol is definitely one of the most harmful drugs out there.

What is your definition of "harmful" here? Is it just total amount of harm caused, or total harm divided by number of users? If the former, sure, but I think that just reflects how hugely popular it is.

If the latter, I'd like to see your data. Some large fraction of the adult population consumes alcohol on a fairly regular basis so I imagine society would collapse if it was as harmful on a per capita basis as something like cocaine or heroin.

Re: Cancer Doctors Cite Risks of Drinking Alcohol

#39

Alcohol is definitely one of the most harmful drugs out there. In terms of addictiveness, physical side effects (short and long term), and the kind of behavior that people are likely to engage in while under the influence, the only things worse are probably IV painkillers and smoked meth/crack. As a society we need to get our heads out of our asses and challenge our notions of what kind of drug use is and isn't accep…

>It's perfectly fine to tell my boss that I got too drunk on Friday Hell if you worked at a startup, you and your boss might have both gotten drunk at the office together after raiding the "fully-stocked beer cooler". The in-office beer was part of the recruitment strategy of the company after all. Bottoms-up! I'm a beer-drinker but I still find it astonishing that some startups are providing an addictive and risky d…

[deleted]

Re: Cancer Doctors Cite Risks of Drinking Alcohol

#40

Alcohol is definitely one of the most harmful drugs out there. In terms of addictiveness, physical side effects (short and long term), and the kind of behavior that people are likely to engage in while under the influence, the only things worse are probably IV painkillers and smoked meth/crack. As a society we need to get our heads out of our asses and challenge our notions of what kind of drug use is and isn't accep…

>It's perfectly fine to tell my boss that I got too drunk on Friday but if I tell him that I took psychedelic mushrooms or my friend's ADHD meds I probably wouldn't be employed much longer. So? I ask seriously - what are you arguing for exactly.

Perhaps they're arguing for the ability to share information about their psychedelic use without social sanctions.
Post reply on HN