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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Ecstasy 'not worse than riding' | Ecstasy 'not worse than riding' |
| (2 days later) | |
| Taking the drug ecstasy is no more dangerous than riding a horse, a senior adviser has suggested. | Taking the drug ecstasy is no more dangerous than riding a horse, a senior adviser has suggested. |
| Professor David Nutt, chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), outlined his view in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. | Professor David Nutt, chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), outlined his view in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. |
| The council, which advises the government, is expected next week to recommend that ecstasy is downgraded from a class A drug to a class B one. | The council, which advises the government, is expected next week to recommend that ecstasy is downgraded from a class A drug to a class B one. |
| Ministers have outlined their opposition to any such move. | Ministers have outlined their opposition to any such move. |
| Professor Nutt wrote: "Drug harm can be equal to harms in other parts of life. There is not much difference between horse-riding and ecstasy." | Professor Nutt wrote: "Drug harm can be equal to harms in other parts of life. There is not much difference between horse-riding and ecstasy." |
| Organ failure | Organ failure |
| The professor said horse-riding accounted for about 10 deaths a year and was associated with more than 100 road accidents. He went on: "This attitude raises the critical question of why society tolerates - indeed encourages - certain forms of potentially harmful behaviour but not others such as drug use." | |
| Professor Nutt's academic work does not prejudice that which he conducts as chair of the ACMD ACMD spokesman | Professor Nutt's academic work does not prejudice that which he conducts as chair of the ACMD ACMD spokesman |
| Ecstasy use is linked to around 30 deaths a year, up from 10 a year in the early 1990s. Fatalities are caused by massive organ failure from overheating or the effects of drinking too much water. | Ecstasy use is linked to around 30 deaths a year, up from 10 a year in the early 1990s. Fatalities are caused by massive organ failure from overheating or the effects of drinking too much water. |
| The ACMD last night distanced itself from Prof Nutt's comments. | The ACMD last night distanced itself from Prof Nutt's comments. |
| A spokesman for the body said: "The recent article by Professor David Nutt published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology was done in respect of his academic work and not as chair of the ACMD. | A spokesman for the body said: "The recent article by Professor David Nutt published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology was done in respect of his academic work and not as chair of the ACMD. |
| "Professor Nutt's academic work does not prejudice that which he conducts as chair of the ACMD." | "Professor Nutt's academic work does not prejudice that which he conducts as chair of the ACMD." |
| 'No safe dose' | 'No safe dose' |
| David Raynes, of the National Drug Prevention Alliance, told the Daily Telegraph: "He is entitled to his personal opinion, but if his personal view conflicts so very strongly with his public duties, it would be honourable to consider his position. | David Raynes, of the National Drug Prevention Alliance, told the Daily Telegraph: "He is entitled to his personal opinion, but if his personal view conflicts so very strongly with his public duties, it would be honourable to consider his position. |
| "If he does not, the home secretary should do it for him." | "If he does not, the home secretary should do it for him." |
| Last September a Home Office spokesman said the government believed ecstasy should remain a Class A drug. | Last September a Home Office spokesman said the government believed ecstasy should remain a Class A drug. |
| "Ecstasy can and does kill unpredictably. There is no such thing as a 'safe dose'," he said. | "Ecstasy can and does kill unpredictably. There is no such thing as a 'safe dose'," he said. |
| Correction 11 February 2009: An earlier version of this story wrongly attributed to Professor Nutt a figure of 100 horse-riding deaths a year instead of 10. |