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I am fed up with arrogant scientists sticking there noses to political matters. I agree with the current Government banning Mephedrone as a number of young people have died as a result of this drug.

Leave the political decisions to our Elected Representatives. "Professor Brainstorm" get back to your test tubes.

"I agree with the current Government banning Mephedrone as a number of young people have died as a result of this drug"

That's not true. Just because the newspapers report that people have died as a result of taking this substance it does not make it a fact. There are currently ZERO comfirmed deaths caused by this substance in the UK.

The Liberal approach to recreational drugs has been tried and tested, our graveyards are full of young people whose lives have been lost because the government, police and advisors have been in retreat over drugs for the last forty years.

When are we going to see real action on drugs and savage sentencing for those who not only supply, but also irresponsibly encourage the use of drugs through internet websites?

This harm reduction enthusiast is not a scientist.

"Eric is currently undertaking PhD level research at the Birkbeck College, University of London, exploring how socially-excluded adolescents develop resilience, in spite of their circumstances.

Past academic achievements include:

MSc. Public Service Management (Awarded with Distinction), South Bank University

Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies, Polytechnic of Central London

M.A. (Hons.) History, University of Edinburgh"

http://www.carlinenterprises.co.uk/page3.htm

Though the rest of the ACMD hold titles such as Dr and Professor, on close inspection many of them appear to be pseudoscientists. Professor David Nutt is little different to Howard Marks, a pin-up for naive dope smoking students. When you think of science, you might think of the great men who discovered DNA or the great men and women who put man on the Moon. These ACMD fools insult the scientific method with their selfishness and stupidity. Purge academia of these morons and their evidence based lies.

Well said David Galea. A few days ago I got an e-mail from an institution in America offering me a Degree over the internet. Intrigued I filled out their on-line form and was told that with my experience I could get an MSC or for an additional fee after a further 6 months if I did, I could buy a Doctorate. I made my excuses and left.

Now I have every respect for the genuine Degree holder who has studied long and hard and passed the relevant exams but I am sceptical about the number of people with Degrees etc totally unrelated to the matter in hand who seem to pop up as "experts" on the TV and in the media. The man in the street would think that any person stated to be an expert on such matter as Drugs would hold a qualification in Medicine, Psychology, Pharmacology etc connected to the subject but it seems that in the words of the song "it ain't necessarily so!"

Psychopharmacologist: the branch of pharmacology dealing with the psychological effects of drugs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Nutt

"David J. Nutt is a psychiatrist and neuropsychopharmacologist specialising in the research of drugs which affect the brain and conditions such as addiction, anxiety and sleep.[1] He is a professor at the University of Bristol heading their Psychopharmacology Unit.[2] He also holds the Edmond J Safra chair in Neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College, London.[3] Nutt is a member of the Committee on Safety of Medicines, and is on the Council and is President of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology.[4]"

"Professor Nutt studied medicine at the University of Cambridge, graduating in 1972 and completing his clinical training at Guy's Hospital in 1975. Before this he completed his secondary education at Colston's School, Bristol. He worked as a clinical scientist at the Radcliffe Infirmary from 1978 to 1982. From 1983 to 1985, he lectured in psychiatry at the University of Oxford. In 1986, he was the Fogarty visiting scientist at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in Bethesda, MD, just outside of Washington, D.C. Returning to the UK in 1988, he joined the University of Bristol as director of the Psychopharmacology Unit. In 2009, he then established the Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Molecular Imaging at Imperial College, London, taking a new chair endowed by the Edmond J Safra Philanthropic Foundation.[5] He is an editor of the Journal of Psychopharmacology.[6]"

What I find really funny is comparing this with the educational history of Howard Marks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Marks

"Marks attended the Garw Grammar School in Pontycymer, followed by Balliol College, Oxford between 1964 and 1967 to study Natural Science, Physics (B.A., Oxon). Among his friends at Balliol was the epidemiologist Julian Peto. After this he studied Physics (Grad. Inst P.) at the University of London (1967 to 1968). Then, back to Balliol, Oxford (1968 to 1969) to study History and Philosophy of Science (Dip. H.Ph. Sc.) and then on to the University of Sussex (1969 to 1970) to study Philosophy of Science."

Those that supply a significant amount of drugs and are arrested should be jailed; a further offence should incur capital punishment. Unfortunately, it is the only way that you will make those wishing to destroy lives for financial gain desist. We are fighting a losing battle and will continue to do so no matter which party is in power.

"What's the point of having scientists work for any government if the government don't want to listen to their advice."

Why should the government act on everything a Scientist says? There is such a thing as an idiot scientist you know! As shown above, infamous drug smuggler Howard Marks is a highly qualified scientist, should the government listen to his advice?

"If anything, I feel that the tories should heed the advice of the professionals and not react on knee-jerk reactions spun by the press and blinkered lobbyists."

These people are not professionals, they are drug pushers. What difference is there between David Nutt and Howard Marks? They both tour universities, using their prestige to influence the youthful and the stupid into taking dangerous substances and lower the tone of the entire country. Mass illegal drug use is not a scientific issue like building a bridge or sending men to the moon. It is a social issue where we see the modern slums where dope, heroin, and pills are common place. On drugs, the real professional opinions come from every day people not self important pseudo scientists. Give me one valid reason why Nutt's opinions on drugs are more important than anyone else's?

"In a perfect world, there wouldn't be any drugs. We have to recognise that we don't live in a perfect world and that social engineering simply does not work. It actually has a detrimental effect."

Real justice works. Punish the drug dealers, punish the drug users, punish the corrupt police who keep the drug culture alive. Zero tolerance does work and it has a great effect of cleaning our streets of disgusting filth.