THIS STORY WAS REPORTED ON NPR
U.K. Drug Adviser Fired After Marijuana Comments
Britain's top drug adviser was fired Friday after saying that marijuana, Ecstasy and LSD were less dangerous than alcohol.
David Nutt's comments have embarrassed the British government, which toughened the penalties for possessing marijuana earlier this year over the protests of many prominent British scientists.
Nutt said he was disappointed by his sacking, telling Sky News television that it might have something to do with the upcoming general election, which must be called by the middle of next year.
"Politics is politics and science is science, and there's a bit of a tension between them sometime," he told the broadcaster by telephone.
In later comments to BBC radio's PM program, Nutt accused British Prime Minister Gordon Brown of making "completely irrational statements" about the dangerousness of marijuana.
"I'm not prepared to mislead the public about the harmfulness of drugs like cannabis and Ecstasy," he said.
A call and an e-mail by The Associated Press seeking comment from the scientist were not immediately returned.
Britain's Home Office confirmed that Nutt, a professor of neuropsychopharmacology, had been removed from his position and said it would be seeking a replacement shortly.
In Britain, drugs are classified in three different categories, with Class A the most dangerous one. Marijuana was recently upgraded to Class B from Class C, joining amphetamines, Ritalin and pholcodine as drugs whose unlawful possession could result in up to five years in prison.
But the move ran counter to recommendations made by Nutt, who has long argued that marijuana is far less dangerous than legal drugs such as alcohol, which is responsible for nearly 9,000 deaths a year in the U.K., according to recent government statistics.
Everybody involved in this decision to get him fired, immediately lifted their glasses of scotch and toasted his demise.
Facts and figures don't lie. ALCOHOL is far and away the most dangerous drug. NICOTINE is right in the running.
The amount of deaths and injuries due to ALCOHOL far out number all the other drugs COMBINED.
And everybody knows it and drinks to that news on a regular basis.....like daily.
IT'S RIDICULOUS TO FIRE SOMEONE FOR SPEAKING THE TRUTH
THE GUY SHOULD BE GIVEN A TV SHOW TO EXPLAIN THE ACTUAL NUMBERS AND SHOW EXACTLY WHAT HE MEANS.
STATISTICS ARE THE WAY WE MEASURE RESULTS
BUT THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME ANSWERS THAT PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO HEAR.
Neuropsychopharmacology PROFESSOR DAVID NUTT IS RIGHT ON THE MARK
MIchael Timtohy McAlevey
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