Vox Pop: 'Drugs laws based on opinions or scientific evidence?' - Ridley Road Market, Dalston

Professor David Nutt has been fired as chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) by Home Secretary, Alan Johnson, after giving a lecture on drugs that criticised the moral tone of policy decisions.

The Government's chief science advisors have shown that cannabis and ecstasy are less harmful to the user than tobacco and alcohol. However, Alan Johnson said that Nutt had gone beyond his remit and risked undermining The Government's attempts to provide clear messages on drugs.

Six out of the 31 science advisors on the ACMD panel have resigned in protest against the Home Secretary's decision (as of 11 November 2009).

Emma Ailes and Demian Smith ask people at Ridley Road market, Dalston, their views on whether politicians should make drugs laws based on their own opinions, or on scientific evidence.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Professor David Nutt
• Alan Johnson
• ACMD
• Drugs debate
• Ridley Road Market
• Dalston
• Hackney Citizen
• Demian Smith
• Emma Ailes

[liamjd1]

I think anyone with half a brain realises that current drug laws are based on neither scientific evidence OR morals...

[wurzeh]

shes so hot and shes intelligent..... what a sweet gal <3 <3 <3

[futurama450]

it actualy makes me angry listening to people who hate the ganga 

[J05hyyy]

This is a good set of interviews. Most people agree that it should be based on scientific evidence.