A prominent UK drug advisor has come under fire after making the rather ostentatious claim that using ecstasy is no more dangerous than riding a horse. Truth be told we should be able to make some sort of witty pun on ecstasy vs ketamine use here, but we’re drawing a blank…
The remarks were made by Professor David Nutt, the chairman of ACMD (Advisory Countil on the Misuse of Drugs), in an article published by the Journal Of Psychopharmacology. “Drug harm can be equal to harms in other parts of life,” he wrote. “There is not much difference between horse-riding and ecstasy. 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.”
Not surprisingly, the ACMD have done their best to distance themselves from the comments made by Professor Nutt, which have caused a veritable storm in a teacup across mainstream media channels. “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 spokesperson asserted. “Professor Nutt’s academic work does not prejudice that which he conducts as chair of the ACMD.”
Professor Nutt has also come under fire from David Raynes of the National Drug Prevention Alliance, with his position as chairman of ACMD called into question. “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,” Raynes told UK newspaper the Daily Telegraph.
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