Table 2 Exposure data selected for calculating the margin of exposure (see Supplementary Table S1 online for distribution functions used for calculation)

From: Comparative risk assessment of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and other illicit drugs using the margin of exposure approach

Agent

Range of individual daily dosage (low, high) [mg]

Ratio between no-tolerance and high tolerance dosage [authors' estimation based on cited literature]

Prevalence Europe (lower, upper) for drugs [%]/Per capita consumption for alcohol in Europe [L]

Exposure based on sewage analysis (min/max)26 [mg/day/1000 population]

Heroin

5–30027

1027

Opiates: 0.5–0.628

(no data available)

Cocaine

20–10029

442

0.8–0.928

2–1998

THC

10–6030,31

443,44

Cannabis: 5.4–5.728

14–192

Nicotine

1.65–1.89 mg/cigarette32

345,46

13–5234

(no data available)

 

10–20 cigarettes/smoker/day33

   

Alcohol

13.6 g–54.4 g (1–4 standard drinks21)

1.547,48

2.0–17.5 L/year41

(no data available)

Methadone

10–4035

549,50,51

(no data available)

(no data available)

Amphetamine

5–5036

No data available

ATS excl. ecstasy: 0.5–0.628

33–3040

Methamphetamine

5–15037

337

(see amphetamine)

3–376

MDMA

50–70038

1052,53

Ecstasy: 0.6–0.728

32–615

Diazepam

5–4039

254

42 daily doses per 1000 population per day (benzodiazepines)40

(no data available)

  1. ATS (amphetamine-type stimulant) excluding ecstasy comprises synthetic stimulants from the group of substances called amphetamines, which includes amphetamine, methamphetamine and methcathinone; “ecstasy”-group substances include methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and its analogues.
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