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Drugs adviser criticised by Smith | Drugs adviser criticised by Smith |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The home secretary has told MPs she was "surprised" and "disappointed" by a drugs adviser likening the dangers of ecstasy to the dangers of horse riding. | The home secretary has told MPs she was "surprised" and "disappointed" by a drugs adviser likening the dangers of ecstasy to the dangers of horse riding. |
Jacqui Smith said Prof David Nutt had "trivialised" the dangers of the drug. | Jacqui Smith said Prof David Nutt had "trivialised" the dangers of the drug. |
She said she had told him he had gone beyond his role as head of the Advisory Council on Drugs Misuse. | |
Ms Smith said Prof Nutt had apologised to her and she had asked him to do the same to families whose lives have been damaged by ecstasy use. | |
'Not much difference' | 'Not much difference' |
The council, which advises the government, is expected later this week to recommend that ecstasy be 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. |
I'm sure most people would simply not accept the link that he makes up in his article between horse riding and illegal drug taking Jacqui Smith, home secretary | |
Professor Nutt's article, published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology last week, said: "Drug harm can be equal to harms in other parts of life. There is not much difference between horse-riding and ecstasy." | Professor Nutt's article, published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology last week, said: "Drug harm can be equal to harms in other parts of life. There is not much difference between horse-riding and ecstasy." |
He said horse-riding accounted for more than 100 deaths a year, and 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." | He said horse-riding accounted for more than 100 deaths a year, and 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." |
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. | |
Speaking during Home Office questions in the House of Commons, Ms Smith said: "I've spoken to him this morning about his comments. I've told him that I was surprised and profoundly disappointed by the article reported." | |
She added: "I'm sure most people would simply not accept the link that he makes up in his article between horse riding and illegal drug taking. | |
"For me that makes light of a serious problem, trivialises the dangers of drugs, shows insensitivity to the families of victims of ecstasy and sends the wrong message to young people about the dangers of drugs." | |
'Wrecks lives' | |
Ms Smith also said: "I made clear to Professor Nutt that I felt his comments went beyond the scientific advice that I expect of him as the chair of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. | |
"He apologised to me for his comments and I've asked him to apologise to the families of the victims of ecstasy." | |
Conservative MP Laurence Robertson said ecstasy "not only wrecks lives, and ends lives, but also fuels crime". | |
He argued that drug use and horse riding were "completely incomparable" and that Prof Nutt was in the "wrong job". | |
But, in questions to the House of Commons Speaker, Liberal Democrat MP Evan Harris said Prof Nutt was a "distinguished scientist" and asked whether it was "right to criticise him here when he cannot answer back for what is set out in a scientific publication". | |
He added: "What's the future for scientific independence if she [Ms Smith] asks that scientists apologise for their views?" | |
Speaker Michael Martin replied that it was a "parliamentary privilege" for the home secretary to make such remarks and that "of course" she would be allowed to do so. | |
The Advisory Council on Drugs Misuse has distanced itself from Prof Nutt's comments. |