Useful

**vampireuk** · 30-10-2009, 22:19

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8334774.stm

The UK's chief drugs adviser has been sacked by Home Secretary Alan Johnson, after criticising government policies.

Professor David Nutt, head of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, criticised the decision to reclassify cannabis to Class B from C.

He accused ministers of devaluing and distorting evidence and said drugs classification was being politicised.

The home secretary said he had "lost confidence" in his advice and asked him to step down.

The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is the UK's official drugs advisory body.

Following his sacking, Prof Nutt told the BBC he stood by his claim that cannabis should not be a Class B drug, based on its effects.

He described his sacking as a "serious challenge to the value of science in relation to the government".

At least he didn't go for a walk in the woods.

**Winstanley** · 30-10-2009, 22:47

It does seem strange to me that the Government appoints specialist advisors, and then fires them because their specialist advice conflicts with Government policy. Why bother appointing them in the first place?

**fuggyred** · 30-10-2009, 23:08

Dead men walking, Johnson and his cronies will soon be taking the long walk too with any luck......

**beemer007** · 30-10-2009, 23:20

What more do expect from a Liebour Government,

would'nt look good against their anti-drug policies,

Wonder who'll be next to get the boot once their outspoken against the Government.

ALVIN · 31-10-2009, 00:42

Err --- I think that you will find that if society disagrees with the Government..... Then the Government are fired ...... Like they will be in 6 months time.

**Trotsky** · 31-10-2009, 09:25

He's there to advise, not make policy, he shouldn't winge if his advice isn't heeded (whilst he is on the public payroll anyway).

He is also a Tw*t who doesn't realise how wrong his advice is...

Trotsky

**Bradstyley** · 31-10-2009, 09:27

Yeah, who needs actual real scientific facts when you can have some vague feelings and scare stories to base policy on?

**tropper66** · 31-10-2009, 09:34

Originally Posted by Trotsky

He's there to advise, not make policy, he shouldn't winge if his advice isn't heeded (whilst he is on the public payroll anyway).

He is also a Tw*t who doesn't realise how wrong his advice is...

Trotsky

Well thats a load of balls, he did not get paid, there was nothing wrong with his advice, loads of children get injured, or killed, every year by there ponies, more people die from booze and fags than drugs, most druggies who overdose recover at great cost to the NHS, the places where they have declasified some drugs have lowered the crime rate, all true

**insert-coin-here** · 31-10-2009, 09:35

Somebody should tell him that giving unpopular advice to Labour politico's is far worse for ones health than smoking a kilo of crack.

He should think himself lucky that he did not end up going for a stroll in the woods.

**Biped** · 31-10-2009, 09:40

The only people that Labour wants advising it are 'Yes men'. Little nodding dogs they can stick in the back window of their policies, to be seen by the voters as it drives off into the statute books.

The drugs advisor has been sacked because he didn't nod through a government choice. Someone else (another scientist) took a walk in the woods because he said that WMD claims were wrong.