DRUG EXPERTS RALLY ROUND SACKED DAVID NUTT

David Nutt Receives Support Over Alan Johnson Row

Members of the drugs advisory body have demanded showdown talks with
the home secretary after his sacking of Prof David Nutt.

Scientists said they had 'serious concerns' about Alan Johnson's
decision to remove their colleague and questioned whether they could
continue to work with the government.

In a letter to Mr Johnson, members on the Advisory Council on the
Misuse of Drugs threatened to quit and called for 'clarity and
assurances' from ministers about how their advice would be treated in
future.

Earlier, Mr Johnson escalated his criticism of Prof Nutt, accusing
him of breaching the official code of conduct for advisers.

Prof Nutt had failed to give advance warning of last week's paper in
which he said alcohol and tobacco were more dangerous than ecstasy
and LSD, and questioned the decision to downgrade cannabis, Mr
Johnson said.

Mr Johnson, called to the Commons to answer an emergency question
from the Tories, denied a review of the body - announced two weeks
ago - was linked to the row over Prof Nutt.

While praising the work of the ACMD as invaluable, and agreeing to
meet its remaining members in person, he stated again he had lost
confidence in the professor.

Shadow home secretary Chris Grayling said the decision was 'the right
one'.

Two other scientists quit over the weekend. Last year, alcohol
directly caused 7,341 deaths, while cigarettes led to 114,000.

There were 12 deaths from ecstasy and none from cannabis, according
to the University of London.