UK- Three more scientists quit over drugs chief sacking

[rks0]

The row between the government and its drugs advisers escalated last night with the resignation of three more scientists.

Chemist Dr Simon Campbell, psychologist Dr John Marsden and scientific consultant Ian Ragan stepped down from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) following talks with Home Secretary Alan Johnson.

The meeting was held amid the fallout from the sacking of the government’s chief drugs adviser Professor David Nutt over his remarks about cannabis, ecstasy and LSD.

Dr Campbell is an ex-president of the Royal Society of Chemistry, previously worked for Pfizer, and was part of the teams that discovered Viagra. Dr Marsden is a research psychologist and senior lecturer in addictive behaviour at the Institute of Psychiatry, while Ian Ragan is director of CIR Consultancy Ltd, which provides services to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.

The sacking of Prof Nutt prompted a wave of protest from the scientific community. Two other members – Marion Walker and Dr Les King – quit in protest and Prof Nutt warned his former colleagues could resign en masse at yesterday’s meeting because of disquiet at the treatment of their chairman.

Prof Nutt, who was barred from the meeting, said last night: “It was a long, hard meeting but it’s clear the government doesn’t understand that scientists have principles and these weren’t being respected by the government.

“We need a proper demarcation between science and politics. It’s clear Alan Johnson doesn’t understand what he did was reprehensible.

“It’s about the home secretary not having a proper understanding of science.”

Mr Johnson said a joint code between government and scientists was being considered by Gordon Brown and the government’s chief scientific adviser.

Speaking at yesterday’s home affairs select committee, he said he stood by the decision to remove his chief drugs adviser but wanted to improve relations between the advisory council and the Home Office.

He said: “I understand why the ACMD were concerned. Their major concern was because they felt Prof Nutt was being dismissed for his views. I reassured them that was not the case.”

Prof Nutt was sacked after arguing ecstasy and LSD were less harmful than alcohol and cigarettes, and criticising the government’s decision to upgrade cannabis from a Class C drug to a B.

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[echc1]

of course they will quit,whats the point of advising when you got a dictatorship that just sticks its fingers in their collective ears and shouts lalalalalala and ignores the advisors,the masses and anyone else that inteferes with THEIR agenda? kudos to them for standing up to mugabe brown and the party and associates....rant rant rant yeah yeah,i'm gonna say while i still can!!!

[Sir Niall of Essex-sire]

Will it make a difference?

[Twichaldinho]

Will it make a difference?

Good question. Perhaps not directly on government policy. But the raising of awarness, by that i mean, if the qualified professionals, payed to carry out in depth research and report thier findings in detail based on the facts, start to let the general public know that thier bosses are effectivly ignoring thier findings. It cant be a bad thing, right?

Besides, these folks are all highly educated people, they wont struggle to get more work