>>"In research published Friday in The Lancet magazine, David Nutt of Bristol University and colleagues propose a framework for classifying harmful substances based on the actual risks to society. Their ranking has alcohol and tobacco among the 10 most dangerous. Heroin and cocaine were most dangerous, followed by barbiturates and street methadone. Alcohol was the fifth- most harmful drug and tobacco the ninth. Cannabis came in 11th, and near the bottom of the list was ecstasy."
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>>http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=17&art_id=40854&sid=12808040&con_type=1
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>They forgot to add in the murders committed by drug dealers.

I'm not sure that's true. Look at the statement "They used three factors to determine harm associated with any drug: physical harm to the user, potential for addiction, and the impact on society of drug use.". That last part may well include what you're talking about.

On the other hand, murders and drug dealers really have more to do with the fact that the substance is not 'freely' available than the characteristics of the substance itself. When there was prohibition, there were hosts of murders by bootleggers. Now that prohibition is gone, not so many.

Drugs like heroin are inherently dangerous without any help from regulation, but it's regulation that creates the atmosphere for murder and drug dealers.