Nothing illuminates the gaping chasm between political and public opinion quite like the war on drugs. With over half of British people saying that the government’s approach to illegal drugs is ineffective, and even Commons MPs saying we should look into decriminalization, it’s a wonder that they haven’t just got on with it yet. But for British politicians, taking a stance on drugs is kind of like taking drugs: no one wants to be the first one at the party to suggest it.
And yet when Professor David Nutt merely put forth scientific evidence suggesting that – gee, I don’t know – maybe the drug classification system should accurately reflect the actual danger levels of each drug, he was sacked from his position as the government's chief drug adviser. (Nutt had the temerity to report that, statistically, ecstasy and LSD are less dangerous than alcohol.) As if getting fired for literally doing his job wasn’t bad enough, he’s also been the victim of some serious misrepresentation in the tabloids since.
I visited Professor Nutt's office at Imperial College, London to see what it feels like to be the face of drug reform in the UK. (Interview in article)