Drug Index: Please see below the actual ranking of 20 drugs according to the physical and mental harm they cause its user and the community they live in. This has been taken from the in depth scientific research and study by David Nutt. It shows that tobacco and alcohol – the legal and government sanctioned drugs – are more destructive than many illegal drugs.

Although sacked as chief adviser to the UK government on drugs, David Nutt remains chairman of Neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College, London, and head of the Neuropsychopharmacology Unit at Bristol University. It would be futile to argue that politicians who have never held these or similar positions know more than this eminent Professor.

It is about time someone told it how it is and Professor Nutt seems to be that person. Judging by comments made on various websites and below various online articles the overriding opinion is that what motivated government ministers to reject Nutt’s findings was a cynical attempt to hold the votes of the knee-jerk types. These types, coincidentally, will still be able to preach with a cigarette and glass of whisky in their hands while the government reaps the tax they've paid.

The Index gives the drug's actual position in terms of how much physical and mental harm they cause the user - the higher its position the more harm it causes.  The text in brackets gives the drug's existing rankings - A most harmful, B medium harm, C less harm - or states the drug's current standing: not controlled or not classified.

1. Heroin (Classified A)
2. Cocaine (Classified A)
3. Barbiturates (Classified B)
4. Street methadone (Classified A)
5. Alcohol (Not controlled)
6. Ketamine (Classified C)
7. Benzodiazepine (Classified B)
8. Amphetamine (Classified B)
9. Tobacco (Not classified)
10. Bupranorphine (Classified C)
11. Cannabis (Classified B)
12. Solvents (Not controlled)
13. 4-MTA (Classified A)
14. LSD (Classified A)
15. Methylphenidate (Classified B)
16. Anabolic steroids (Classified C)
17. GHB (Classified C)
18. Ecstasy (Classified A)
19. Alkylnitrates (Not controlled)
20. Khat (Not controlled)