# Which of these substances does society most harm? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 13, 2012, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-substances-does-society-most-harm/615603 "2012-03-13T00:14:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-substances-does-society-most-harm/615603/41 "2012-03-24T18:24:37Z")
The thing is, there is a safe dose where using alcohol can actually benefit most people. There’s no such dose with tobacco. Taking even a little tobacco will harm the user, and if it’s smoked, it will harm anyone who happens to be around. On the other hand, if I have a beer, it doesn’t affect anyone else, unless I start singing. Then, yeah, it does harm others. I can’t carry a tune in a bucket. ---
**Author:** ![OldLobsterClaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/eb9ed0/32.png) [@OldLobsterClaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldLobsterClaw)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-substances-does-society-most-harm/615603/42 "2012-03-26T17:55:35Z")
Pot is, by some recent estimates, the third most frequently used recreational drug in America after alcohol and tobacco. And we’re not including coffee.😉 Sorry, I don’t remember where I found that statistic but I have little doubt that it’s true. So, in answer to those who are questioning the results of increased availability and use, I’d say negligible to nonexistent. Use is so prevalent now that that legalization is very unlikely to change enything. The old saying was pretty true. The greatest harm from pot is getting busted. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-these-substances-does-society-most-harm/615603.md?page=2)