UK: Second drugs adviser quits post

BBC News

Sunday 01 Nov 2009

A second adviser to the government has resigned in protest at Home
Secretary Alan Johnson's sacking of his chief drugs adviser, Prof
David Nutt.

Marion Walker's departure from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of
Drugs came after Dr Les King's resignation.

Prof Nutt was sacked after calling cannabis less harmful than alcohol
and nicotine, and saying it was upgraded to Class B for political
reasons.

Mr Johnson said Prof Nutt was sacked for "crossing a line" into
politics.

On Sunday, Prof Nutt revealed Ms Walker, ACMD member from the Royal
Pharmaceutical Society, had stepped down. However, she could not be
reached for comment.

Ms Walker is also clinical director of Berkshire Healthcare NHS
Foundation Trust's substance misuse service.

"I'm not going to say just how many I think might resign but there is
an extremely angry feeling among most council members." Dr Les King

Prof Nutt said her departure "means we have no-one now looking at
that vast group of people who prescribe drugs and advise people about
drugs, drug harms from the over-the-counter and prescription side".

The BBC understands that several other members of the ACMD are
currently considering their next move, in response to Prof Nutt's
dismissal.

The sacking came after Prof Nutt said cannabis had been upgraded by
the government to Class B against scientific evidence.

'Angry feeling'

The reclassification had been for political reasons and "on the whim
of the prime minister", he claimed.

There was "very strong feeling" among the council's members over Prof
Nutt's sacking, Dr King said as he confirmed his own resignation.

"I'm not going to say just how many I think might resign but there is
an extremely angry feeling among most council members.

"Amongst the scientists, I think a number will resign. It doesn't
need the whole council to resign for the thing to stop working."

Dr King was appointed on 3 April 2008 and wrote a book on the Misuse
of Drugs Act in 2003. He was previously head of the Drugs Intelligence
Unit in the Forensic Science Service.

Prof Nutt has told the BBC that the council's position is
"untenable".

He said: "I think the position of scientists on the council's
untenable, because I cannot see how Alan Johnson, given what he's just
said, which clearly indicates he doesn't understand how scientists
think, how scientists on council could continue to work with him."

Confirming Dr King's resignation, the Home Office said in a
statement: "We're not going to give a running commentary on the
speculation around further resignations. We will not be commenting
further."

Speaking to Sky News on Sunday, Mr Johnson said he thought his
ex-chief drugs adviser was "wrong" on cannabis - but sacked him for
"crossing a line" into politics.

'Crossed the line'

"What you cannot have is a chief adviser at the same time stepping
into the political field and campaigning against government decisions.
You can do one or the other. You can't do both."

If governments appoint expert advice they shouldn't dismiss it so
lightly

Lord Robert Winston

Mr Johnson said that Prof Nutt had "crossed the line between offering
advice and then campaigning against the government on political
decisions".

But Labour peer Lord Robert Winston told BBC Radio 4's The World This
Weekend he was "very surprised and disappointed" by Mr Johnson's
actions.

He warned that the government would be ignored if it gave advice to
the public that did not take account of scientists' opinions and said
Prof Nutt had made a "very reasonable" point about the relative
dangers of illegal and legal drugs.

Lord Winston, professor of science and society at Imperial College
London, said: "I think that if governments appoint expert advice they
shouldn't dismiss it so lightly. I think it shows a rather poor
understanding of the value of science."

Dr Evan Harris MP, Liberal Democrat science spokesman, said: "I fear
there will be many more resignations unless the government acts to
restore confidence among its independent scientific advisers, upon
which it relies for advice on matters from nuclear safety to childhood
vaccination."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8336884.stm