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Johnson defends drugs row sacking More advisers may go in drugs row
(about 2 hours later)
The home secretary has defended sacking the UK's chief drugs adviser after his criticism of the government's tough approach to cannabis and ecstasy. The home secretary faces the threat of more scientists resigning after sacking his chief drugs adviser Prof David Nutt for his comments about cannabis policy.
In a letter to the Guardian, Alan Johnson says Prof David Nutt went against a "long established" principle by straying into politics. Two members of the drugs advisory panel have quit in protest and others are to meet to discuss their next move.
Two members of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs have resigned in protest at the sacking. Alan Johnson said Prof Nutt was sacked for "crossing the line" between giving advice and campaigning for a policy.
Prof Nutt has said he doubts any "true" scientist could work for Mr Johnson. But Prof Nutt told the Times any "true" scientist would be unlikely to work for the home secretary in future.
He was sacked last Friday shortly after using a lecture to say that cannabis was less harmful than alcohol and tobacco, and saying it was upgraded to Class B - against the council's advice - for political reasons. "My sacking has cast a huge shadow over the relationship of science to policy," he wrote.
DEPARTING ADVISERS Prof David Nutt - chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of DrugsDr Les King - part-time adviser to the Department of Health, senior chemist on ACMDMarion Walker - clinical director of Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust's substance misuse service, Royal Pharmaceutical Society's representative on ACMD class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=7181">Send us your comments class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markeaston/2009/11/why_was_david_nutt_sacked.html">Easton: Why was Nutt sacked? 'Campaigner' claim
In his letter, Mr Johnson says Prof Nutt was asked to resign "because he cannot be both a government adviser and a campaigner against government policy". Prof Nutt was sacked on Friday after using a lecture to say that cannabis was less harmful than alcohol and tobacco.
He said the professor's widely quoted comment about horse riding being more dangerous than ecstasy was a "political rather than a scientific point". He also said it was upgraded to Class B - against the council's advice - for political reasons. Earlier in the year he had suggested that taking ecstasy was no more dangerous than horse riding.
Mr Johnson writes: "There are not many kids in my constituency in danger of falling off a horse - there are thousands at risk of being sucked into a world of hopeless despair through drug addiction." DEPARTING ADVISERS Prof David Nutt - chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of DrugsDr Les King - part-time advisor to the Department of Health, senior chemist on ACMDMarion Walker - clinical director of Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust's substance misuse service, Royal Pharmaceutical Society's representative on ACMD class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=7181">Send us your comments class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markeaston/2009/11/why_was_david_nutt_sacked.html">Easton: Why was Nutt fired?
Over the weekend Mr Johnson and Prof Nutt defended their stances on the issue in television interviews. Hitting back in The Guardian, the home secretary said Prof Nutt was not sacked for his views "which I respect but disagree with" but because "he cannot be both a government adviser and a campaigner against government policy".
Writing in the Times, Prof Nutt says the Home Office no longer has a "functioning advisory group". Mr Johnson added: "There are not many kids in my constituency in danger of falling off a horse - there are thousands at risk of being sucked into a world of hopeless despair through drug addiction."
'Injustices' Prof Nutt chaired the independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs for 18 months - making scientific recommendations to ministers on how to classify banned drugs, based on the harm they can cause.
And he warns that more of the remaining 28 members could leave. 'Rubber stamp' decisions
"It seems unlikely that any 'true' scientist will be able to work for this, or future, home secretaries," his letter says. Fellow advisory council member Dr Les King resigned in protest on Sunday, saying Mr Johnson had denied Prof Nutt the right to free speech. Another panel member, pharmacist Marion Walker, has also resigned.
"My sacking has cast a huge shadow over the relationship of science to policy." Dr King said the government's attitude to the panel had changed and the advisory council was essentially being asked to "rubber stamp a pre-determined position".
On the comments that led to his sacking, Prof Nutt says it is "imperative that the classification of drugs truly reflects their harms, otherwise injustices may occur and the educational message be undermined". The remaining 28 members, many of whom are understood to support Prof Nutt, are next due to meet on 10 November to decide how to respond.
The remaining members of the existing advisory council are to meet on 10 November to decide how to react. Any minister who hides away from scientific advisers who are saying clearly what the scientific evidence shows is frankly going to end up with policy which is a complete mess Chris HuhneLiberal Democrats
BBC political correspondent Ross Hawkins says many support Prof Nutt, but they are trying to formulate a collective response. The BBC understands Mr Johnson will seek to reassure them in a letter later on Monday but there are also reports they are seeking to bring forward their meeting.
Former home secretary Charles Clarke said he believed the row dated back to Gordon Brown's decision to re-open the debate about the classification of cannabis.
"I think the mistake was right at the beginning of his premiership, saying he was going to change the cannabis rules before the advisory committee had considered its position. I think that was an error," he told the BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
He said ministers should reassure their scientific advisers that "if they give their advice, their conclusions will be very seriously considered" and that decisions were not being "pre-judged".
Confidence in system
For the Liberal Democrats, Chris Huhne said ministers had to "carry the can" but said policy must be based on evidence.
He told the BBC: "Any minister who hides away from scientific advisers who are saying clearly what the scientific evidence shows is frankly going to end up with policy which is a complete mess."
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme
Professor Colin Blakemore, a former head of the British Medical Research Council, said the government depended on experts who gave their time freely to give advice on issues from handling pandemic flu to the disposing of nuclear waste.
He told the BBC: "They have got to have confidence in the system and hope that they are not going to get fired for talking about it."
The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said the Conservatives had not responded to the row, largely because they agreed with the home secretary.
He said that advice on drugs was particularly sensitive for politicians as policy gave signs to youngsters about what drugs were the most risky but also to the public about whether they were soft or hard on drugs.