DrugScope response to Home Secretary's decision to force resignation of the ACMD Chair

In response to the decision by the Home Secretary to ask David Nutt, Chair of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, to resign DrugScope has issued the following statement:

DrugScope's Director of Communications, Harry Shapiro, said

"There are few areas of policy as important but at the same time as difficult, complex and emotive as drugs policy.That is why it is vitally important that government receives advice that is not only evidence based, objective and robust but that that is also public and transparent.

"To this end, it would be naive not to expect those tasked with giving advice on drug policy to generate some controversy and debate. The Home Secretary's decision to force the resignation of the chair of an independent advisory body is an extremely serious and concerning development and raises serious questions about the means by which drug policy is informed and kept under review."