Comment by Chuck Doucette, President, Drug Prevention Network of Canada

UK HOC Home Affairs Committee hearing on drugs

I have just listened to the testimony of Prof. Nutt and others to the Drugs Committee of the UK House of Commons earlier today. I must say that I am surprised that the many unsubstantiated claims made by Prof. Nutt were left unchallenged by the chair of the committee. Among other things, Prof. Nutt makes reference to the experiences of The Netherlands and Portugal like their policies have been an absolute success when that is not nearly the truth of the matter. This was quite rightly pointed out in a later statement by one of the members of the committee after Prof. Nutt had left. Prof. Nutt is known globally for his outrageous claims that there would be less harm caused by the use of drugs if those drugs were decriminalized and/or legalized. Yet, he acknowledges the greater harms caused by alcohol and tobacco which are already legal and controled. I can only hope that the committee is going to call upon the testimony of some of the many experts that would be able to give evidence that the world would not be a better place if the presently illicit drugs were decriminalized and/or legalized. And, I hope that the chair of the committee will give these experts the same kind courtesy that he has afforded Prof. Nutt.

Leave a Reply