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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Britain Drugs advisers who quit are commended
Morning Star Wednesday 11 Nov 2009 Drug experts who quit over the furore of the government's sacking of a professor have been commended for sticking up for scientific principles. On Monday, three senior drug advisers - scientific consultant Ian Regan, psychologist John Marsden and chemist Simon Campbell - quit their posts at the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs following Home Secretary Alan Johnson's sacking of Professor David Nutt as the government's chief drugs adviser on the council. Mr Nutt was given the boot for arguing that there was scientific evidence to suggest that cannabis, ecstasy and LSD were less harmful than cigarettes and alcohol - a view that the government disagreed with. He also criticised the government's decision to upgrade the legal classification of cannabis from C to B. The views, which he expressed in a lecture, were published in a paper by the Centre for Crime and Justice. The trio are the latest to resign over the issue, following in the footsteps of advisers Marion Walker and Les King, who quit the committee. But Elliot Elam, spokesman for Britain's largest drug treatment agency Addaction, commended Mr Nutt and his supporters for highlighting that alcohol misuse is underrated. He said: "We support the fact that Mr Nutt and his colleagues recognised the dangers posed by alcohol misuse in this country and there needs to be more funding to address this problem." DrugScope spokesman Harry Shapiro, who informs on drugs policy development, suggested that it would be naive not expect Mr Nutt's colleagues to be outspoken. "There are few areas of policy as important but, at the same time, as difficult, complex and emotive as drugs policy," he said. "That is why it is vitally important that government receives advice that is not only evidence-based, objective and robust but that is also public and transparent. "To this end, it would be naive not to expect those tasked with giving advice on drug policy to generate some controversy and debate." http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/83115
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