A second adviser to the [UK] government has resigned in protest at Home Secretary Alan Johnson's sacking of his chief drugs adviser, Prof
David Nutt.
Marion Walker's departure from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs came after Dr Les King's resignation.
Prof Nutt was sacked after calling cannabis less harmful than alcohol and nicotine, and saying it was upgraded to Class B for political reasons.
But it's this quote that i'm most confused with:
Mr Johnson said Prof Nutt was sacked for "crossing a line" into politics.
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Okay a brief overview.
Prof Nutt was the chairman of the advisory council of the misuse drugs (ACMD) but was forced to resign after controversially accusing ministers of
ignoring real scientific evidence. The Government have then recently sacked Prof Nutt.
news.bbc.co.uk...
A video of Prof Nutt explaining how only this current government has turned all evidence and advice away from education and legal isssues concerning
the decisions based on scientific research.
and some of his claims.
www.telegraph.co.uk...
and also a quote from the liberal democrat Steve Beasant regarding the sacking of Prof Nutt.
n a blizzard of farewell attacks, he again accused politicians of “misleading” the public by making decisions that go against scientific
evidence and said Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, “makes completely irrational statements about cannabis being ‘lethal’, which it is not”.
So what we are seeing here is a prime example of how fear and ignorance is being used against the public and anyone who dares to question the
political machine with real scientific evidence he is forced out of power. Sickening.
BUT - two advisers to the government have resigned since and Proffesor Nutt, frightengly reveals :
P... her departure "means we have no-one now looking at that vast group of people who prescribe drugs and advise people about drugs, drug
harms from the over-the-counter and prescription side".
www.guardian.co.uk...
A very controversial time indeed.
Now rumours suggest up to SIX members of the (ACMD) may resign, in disgust at the decisions made against Prof Nutt.
Dr Les King, a respected chemist and former head of the Drugs Intelligence Unit in the Forensic Science Service, said that anger over the
"disgraceful" decision by the Home Secretary, Alan Johnson, to remove Professor David Nutt could lead to a meltdown in the 40-year-old organisation.
www.independent.co.uk...
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Thoughts on this issue very welcome.
