I have come across the argument that alcohol is the most damaging drug a number of times. The conclusion is correct if you are a bit uncritical about the reasoning.
The only reason alcohol is considered the most damaging is that it is the most common. More people drink alcohol than smoke tobacco, for example. Incidentally, in terms of actual deaths,
delete duplicates tobacco is way worse than alcohol. Tobacco is estimated to kill 400,000 people each year in the United States alone.
If something as nasty as methamphetamine was consumed as commonly as alcohol, society would break down totally, and end up in a degree of violence and strife that would destroy everything. Alcohol has seriously harmful effects on only about one drinker in 20. Of course, 5% of the drinkers is still a hell of a lot of people, since drinking alcohol is so widespread.
On the other hand, the other 19 out of 20 drinkers actually benefit from the alcohol. Alcohol is the most widely used, and most effective social lubricant. I speak from experience, as a dedicated drinker. There is nothing more pleasant than sitting down with some good friends at the end of the day, over a few drinks, and talking total garbage while the alcohol loosens a few social inhibitions.
If you are one of those people who
has to open a bottle of something alcoholic before lunch, then you are one of the 5% who are harmed. You should do your damnedest to become a teetotaller, since you have proven your inability to control it.
I think it is a matter of debate and personal opinion whether alcohol, overall, is a net benefit or a net detrement to society. You must weigh up the serious harm it does to a minority of drinkers against the undoubted pleasure it brings to the majority.