Professor David Nutt, chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), has caused a bit of a stir by claiming that taking ecstasy is no more dangerous than riding a horse and there are calls for his resignation.
The ACMD itself is widely expected to recommend downgrading ecstacy from a class A to a class B drug, although the Government is unlikely to follow this advice.
Should he be forced to resign for expressing his personal opinion?
Technically, of course, he is correct. Taking ecstacy is also considerably less dangerous than driving, cycling, walking or even cooking.
It does not follow, however, that purely because it is technically less dangerous as far as the number of deaths or injuries is concerned, it should be more readily ‘accepted’. A single death is already one too many.
Just because something is less dangerous doesn’t mean that it safe, it remains dangerous.
The main problem with statements such as ‘Ecstacy is less dangerous than….’ is that many, especially the young, naive and gullible, will misinterpret ‘less dangerous’ and some, unfortunately, will pay the ultimate price.
Everyone should be allowed to have their own personal opinion on any subject, but sometimes they should keep it to themselves!