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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Sacked professor hits out at coalition drugs policy (David Nutt)
Bristol 24-7 Thursday 08 Sep 2011 Professor David Nutt, who led Bristol University's psychopharmacology unit until the end of 2009, called for more support for an independent group which aims to provide a scientific base for drugs policy in the UK. He said the three main parties were, "at present, incapable of basing policy on the scientific evidence because they fear losing votes to each other". Prof Nutt was sacked by former Labour Home Secretary Alan Johnson for "campaigning against government policy". In a paper to the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies at King’s College London in July 2009, Prof Nutt repeated his view that drugs should be classified according to the level of harm they created. He presented an analysis in which nine 'parameters of harm' (grouped as 'physical harm', 'dependence', ‘and 'social harms') revealed alcohol and tobacco to be more harmful than LSD, ecstasy and cannabis. In this ranking, alcohol came fifth behind heroin, cocaine, barbiturates and methadone, and tobacco ranked ninth, ahead of cannabis, LSD and ecstasy, he said. In this classification, alcohol and tobacco appeared as Class B drugs, and cannabis was placed at the top of Class C. In a letter circulated to "supporters of the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs", (http://www.drugscience.org.uk/) Prof Nutt said: "In the last 18 months, the Committee has established itself as the leading independent scientific body on the harms and benefits of both legal and controlled drugs in the UK. "It is clear that outside of the Westminster bubble, many people want to debate, discuss and learn about the science of drugs and what it means for them, their friends and families. Like you, they understand the importance of the evidence in the formulation of drugs policy. "This public spirit is not matched at Westminster. The Coalition’s Drug Strategy in many ways represents a further step back from the evidence base, and there has been no challenge to it by the official opposition in Parliament. This is a missed opportunity. It simply reflects that the three main parties are, at present, incapable of basing policy on the scientific evidence because they fear losing votes to each other. "We need to bring together everyone that supports scientific evidence as the foundation of a rational drugs policy so are launching a national advocacy campaign to create a critical mass that will change the terms of the debate. This will take time and serious effort, involving the building of a coalition between scientists, practitioners and the general public, but I am convinced that, with your help, we can achieve this. "This is no way to conduct a national debate on such a crucial issue, especially given that a large section of the public are far ahead of the politicians in wanting a rational and evidenced based drug policy." Prof Nutt aims to gain 1,000 people to offer an average of £10 per month to secure the long term future of the ISCD, as well as advocating its work via social networks and organising public meetings. The coalition government outlined its drugs strategy in December last year, (http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/drugs/drug-strategy-2010/) in which it pledged to "take an uncompromising approach to crack down on those involved in the drug supply both at home and abroad", as well as putting more responsibility on addicts to "seek help and overcome dependency". http://www.bristol247.com/2011/09/08/sacked-professor-hits-out-at-coalition-drugs-policy-11543/
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