Why is it that the most addictive substances are also the most dangerous? Shouldn’t those two factors be independent?
In: Chemistry
The deadliness of a substance and its addictiveness are independent. Plenty of poisons like cyanide and arsenic are far more deadly than any recreational drug, but not addictive. And caffeine is absolutely addictive but typically regarded as harmless in moderate doses. Drugs vary substantially in both addictiveness and harm per dose, with little direct relationship between the two.
Addictive drugs are considered the “most dangerous” not because they are more toxic than non-addictive or less-addictive drugs, but because of the addiction itself. People are far more likely to overdose or experience life problems due to addictive drugs than non-addictive ones.
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