“In the case of cocaine there is an even more striking precedent for evidence being ignored: the World Health Organisation (WHO) conducted what is probably the largest ever study of global use. In March 1995 they released a briefing kit which summarised their conclusions, with some tantalising bullet points.
‘Health problems from the use of legal substances, particularly alcohol and tobacco, are greater than health problems from cocaine use,’ they said. ‘Cocaine-related problems are widely perceived to be more common and more severe for intensive, high-dosage users and very rare and much less severe for occasional, low-dosage users.’
The full report – which has never been published – was extremely critical of most US policies.” (Read more from effectmodification.blogspot.com)