Nutt-less British Government Hires New Drug Advisor

The British government didn’t like former drug advisor Professor David Nutt undermining the country’s drug policies. Nutt’s outspoken belief that pot is far less dangerous than alcohol likely led to his firing – particularly given his assertion that the government distorted facts and ignored scientific evidence.

The whole thing was so ugly that it threatened to collapse the drug council as angry scientists had to be reassured by government officials that their opinions were important and that their lab coats didn’t make them look fat.

Unfortunately assurances that scientific evidence would be taken seriously in connection to drug policy seem a bit disingenuous today as the British government appears to have gone out of its way to hire a bona fide yes-man.

Les Iversen now chairs the British drug council, the position formerly occupied by Professor Nutt. Less than seven years ago, Iversen lectured that marijuana should be legalized as it was far less dangerous than alcohol. But now that he’s working for the same government that canned a colleague for championing a similar viewpoint, Iversen developed amnesia while simultaneously defending his right to change his mind.

“I don’t remember saying that. It’s certainly not my position now.”

“We have now to confront the more potent forms of cannabis. We have the new evidence that arose since 2003 linking cannabis to psychiatric illness. I think it’s quite free for a scientist to change his mind when faced with new facts,” says Iversen.

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