Hilts asked two prominent drug researchers to rank features of six common drugs: nicotine, caffeine, heroin, cocaine, alcohol, and marijuana. Both experts ranked marijuana last in its ability to produce withdrawal, tolerance, and dependence. Another study had experts rank 18 drugs on how easily they “hook” people and how difficult they are to quit. Marijuana ranked 14th, behind the legal drugs nicotine (ranked first), alcohol (ranked 8th), and caffeine (ranked 12th). Only hallucinogens (MDMA, mushrooms, LSD, and mescaline) ranked lower than marijuana (Franklin, 1990).
