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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Adviser resigns over mephedrone | Adviser resigns over mephedrone |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A government adviser has quit the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs over the criminalisation of mephedrone. | A government adviser has quit the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs over the criminalisation of mephedrone. |
| Eric Carlin said the council's decision taken earlier this week was "unduly based on media and political pressure". | Eric Carlin said the council's decision taken earlier this week was "unduly based on media and political pressure". |
| Mr Carlin is the latest member of the body to resign following the sacking of former chairman Professor David Nutt. | Mr Carlin is the latest member of the body to resign following the sacking of former chairman Professor David Nutt. |
| The council has recommended that the substance, linked to at least four UK deaths, and other so-called "legal highs" be classified as Class B drugs. | The council has recommended that the substance, linked to at least four UK deaths, and other so-called "legal highs" be classified as Class B drugs. |
| Young people | Young people |
| Mr Carlin said he was increasingly disillusioned with the lack of attention paid by politicians and the media to drug prevention and early intervention among young people. | Mr Carlin said he was increasingly disillusioned with the lack of attention paid by politicians and the media to drug prevention and early intervention among young people. |
| He also criticised the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs's (ACMD) "apparent lack of interest in the subject". | He also criticised the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs's (ACMD) "apparent lack of interest in the subject". |
| In his resignation letter to Home Secretary Alan Johnson, Mr Carlin wrote: "We had little or no discussion about how our recommendation to classify this drug would be likely to impact on young people's behaviour. | In his resignation letter to Home Secretary Alan Johnson, Mr Carlin wrote: "We had little or no discussion about how our recommendation to classify this drug would be likely to impact on young people's behaviour. |
| "Our decision was unduly based on media and political pressure." | "Our decision was unduly based on media and political pressure." |
| He added: "As well as being extremely unhappy with how the ACMD operates, I am not prepared to continue to be part of a body which, as its main activity, works to facilitate the potential criminalisation of increasing numbers of young people." | He added: "As well as being extremely unhappy with how the ACMD operates, I am not prepared to continue to be part of a body which, as its main activity, works to facilitate the potential criminalisation of increasing numbers of young people." |
| 'Full confidence' | |
| Mr Carlin's resignation comes just days after another adviser, Dr Polly Taylor, quit the ACMD for similar reasons. | |
| A Home Office spokesman said of Mr Carlin: "The resignation was regrettable. However it does not impact on our plans to ban methadone and the other substances as soon as parliamentary time allows. | |
| "The home secretary has full confidence in [chairman] Professor [Les] Iversen and the rest of the ACMD committee." | |
| Mr Johnson will ban mephedrone and the other substances within weeks, following the advice of the ACMD. | |
| Class-B drugs, which include cannabis and amphetamine sulphate, carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison for possession or 14 years for supply. |