Saturday, November 07, 2009
Academics attack Professor Nutt over 'incorrect statements' on drugs
Some of Britain's leading drug experts yesterday launched an attack on Professor David Nutt, who was sacked as chair of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) after he argued that alcohol and tobacco were more dangerous than cannabis.
Professor Andy Parrott, the country's foremost authority on ecstasy, accused him of making "misleading and factually incorrect" comments. He said: "Professor Nutt has stated that ecstasy/MDMA is 'less pleasurable' than cocaine or nicotine, and hence less damaging. This is nonsense." He said such mistakes are "very worrying" and "may help to explain his recent dismissal", he added.
And Professor Robin Murray, a cannabis expert at the Institute of Psychiatry, added to his previous criticism of Professor Nutt when he said the ACMD hadn't "covered itself with glory in its understanding of cannabis" and has "always been several years behind the evidence". "It isn't an exclusively expert scientific body... and has been badly led by a few individuals," he said.
IMO: I still hope this is little more than a 9 day wonder, as it does not reflect well on science in general.
Professor Andy Parrott, the country's foremost authority on ecstasy, accused him of making "misleading and factually incorrect" comments. He said: "Professor Nutt has stated that ecstasy/MDMA is 'less pleasurable' than cocaine or nicotine, and hence less damaging. This is nonsense." He said such mistakes are "very worrying" and "may help to explain his recent dismissal", he added.
And Professor Robin Murray, a cannabis expert at the Institute of Psychiatry, added to his previous criticism of Professor Nutt when he said the ACMD hadn't "covered itself with glory in its understanding of cannabis" and has "always been several years behind the evidence". "It isn't an exclusively expert scientific body... and has been badly led by a few individuals," he said.
IMO: I still hope this is little more than a 9 day wonder, as it does not reflect well on science in general.
# posted by uv : 7:44 PM
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