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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Focus on cannabis 'past history' | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A retired professor who said cannabis was one of the "safer" recreational drugs has taken over as chairman of the government's drugs advisory panel. | |
| Pharmacology specialist Les Iversen replaced David Nutt, who was sacked by the home secretary last October for "lobbying" against government policy. | Pharmacology specialist Les Iversen replaced David Nutt, who was sacked by the home secretary last October for "lobbying" against government policy. |
| Prof Iversen said: "I think cannabis for the time being is past history." | |
| He said much more active attention was currently being paid to so-called legal highs such as mephedrone. | |
| Last year, Home Secretary Alan Johnson accused Prof Nutt of "crossing a line" into politics. | |
| Prof Nutt is setting up an independent drugs panel to rival the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD). | Prof Nutt is setting up an independent drugs panel to rival the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD). |
| Since that sacking, Prof Iversen, formerly of Oxford, has chaired the council's meetings. | |
| Following his appointment, Prof Iversen told the BBC: "I'm not the drug adviser to the government, I'm a spokesman for a large group of people on the advisory council, only a few of whom are scientists." | |
| Recreational drugs | Recreational drugs |
| In an article in 2003, he wrote that cannabis had been "incorrectly" classified as a dangerous drug for nearly 50 years and said it was one of the "safer" recreational drugs. | In an article in 2003, he wrote that cannabis had been "incorrectly" classified as a dangerous drug for nearly 50 years and said it was one of the "safer" recreational drugs. |
| During his career, the professor's research has focused on the effects of drugs on the brain. | During his career, the professor's research has focused on the effects of drugs on the brain. |
| Prof Nutt was sacked after criticising the reclassification of cannabis | Prof Nutt was sacked after criticising the reclassification of cannabis |
| BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said the appointment of Prof Iversen appeared to be an attempt by the Home Office to restore calm to the advisory council after a turbulent few months. | BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said the appointment of Prof Iversen appeared to be an attempt by the Home Office to restore calm to the advisory council after a turbulent few months. |
| Home Secretary Alan Johnson said: "The ACMD makes a valued and important contribution to our understanding of drugs and their harms. I'm pleased Prof Iversen will be bringing his experience to the role of interim chair. | Home Secretary Alan Johnson said: "The ACMD makes a valued and important contribution to our understanding of drugs and their harms. I'm pleased Prof Iversen will be bringing his experience to the role of interim chair. |
| "The council's work continues, including a forthcoming assessment on the harms of the so-called 'legal high' mephedrone, following on from our control of GBL, BZP and others late last year." | "The council's work continues, including a forthcoming assessment on the harms of the so-called 'legal high' mephedrone, following on from our control of GBL, BZP and others late last year." |
| Prof Nutt was sacked for calling cannabis less harmful than alcohol and nicotine, and saying it had been upgraded to Class B for political reasons. | |
| Five other members on the panel subsequently resigned. | Five other members on the panel subsequently resigned. |
| More vacancies | More vacancies |
| In the weeks that followed, the home secretary tried to smooth over the row by making a number of concessions to his drugs advisers. | In the weeks that followed, the home secretary tried to smooth over the row by making a number of concessions to his drugs advisers. |
| Mr Johnson agreed to write to panel members to explain any decisions that went against their advice. | Mr Johnson agreed to write to panel members to explain any decisions that went against their advice. |
| He also said he would not pre-judge decisions on drug classification ahead of the committee issuing advice. | He also said he would not pre-judge decisions on drug classification ahead of the committee issuing advice. |
| However, work on the advisory council is understood to have "slowed down" and a number of meetings were postponed in the wake of the row. | However, work on the advisory council is understood to have "slowed down" and a number of meetings were postponed in the wake of the row. |
| The Home Office has since said it could take two to three months to fill the vacancies left by the other resignations. | The Home Office has since said it could take two to three months to fill the vacancies left by the other resignations. |
| Prof Nutt will hold the first meeting of his new Independent Council on Drug Harms on Thursday. | |
| He said five current members of the government's panel have agreed to attend. | He said five current members of the government's panel have agreed to attend. |