Professor Nutt and drugs policy

Labour list agrees with me that Nutt "was sacked by Alan Johnson for the mortal crime of telling the truth and doing his job."

"The important point here is that Professor Nutt's statements weren’t personal opinions but were based on scientific evidence" agreed.

"It also casts aspersions on the role of scientists in informing public policy if evidence-based approaches are jettisoned in favour of spurious morality judgements."

"Who will dare to give unorthodox evidence to ministers given the precedent set of job security depending on giving the ‘right’ advice?"


"before the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 there were 5,000 heroin users compared to the current 300,000 (so much for the success of prohibition)."

"All these points seem to be lost in the current debate; anyone who so much as suggests that we need a rethink on drugs policy is characterised as an advocate for handing out crack-pipes to school children and forcibly injecting heroin into the eyes of pensioners."

Aside from my opinion on drugs, i fully support using scientific evidence rather than engaging in political scare-mongering. I don't like everyone trying to be tougher than each other on Home Office issues