Final answer:
Historical data and recent trends show that heroin causes the greatest amount of harm on a dose-for-dose basis, including overdose death, compared to the drugs listed.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering which drug causes the greatest amount of harm on a dose-for-dose basis, including death by overdose, historical data and recent trends reveal that heroin is particularly dangerous. In 1999, cocaine killed about twice as many people, but by 2014, deaths from heroin had increased by 439%. While cocaine deaths also rose, they were a much smaller proportion compared to those caused by heroin. It's important to note that the opioid crisis has led to an increase in heroin abuse, a shift that evolved from the legal distribution of opioid pain medications. Heroin, as an opioid, produces euphoria but also poses a high risk for overdose and infectious diseases like HIV from intravenous use. The potency of heroin, particularly when compared to drugs like alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine, establishes it as having a higher potential for overdose death on a dose-for-dose basis.