During the run up to the reclassification announcement there were rumours of resignations amongst the governments own advisory council on drugs if, as has proven to be the case, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith ignored the advice and decided to reclassify cannabis anyway.

But with time, those announcements have faded into "yesterdays news".

But yesterday the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs convened a second "public" meeting in central London, although we use the term public loosely, as try as we may, we were unable to publicise this meeting as the government and its "Cleanfeed" initiative, (a program of Internet censorship devised by Drugs Minister Vernon Coaker), which essentially bans an organisation such as the Canna Zine, broadcasting information which could embarrass government, was called to action.

In the news today, is an announcement which tells of a leadership change in the ACMD.

Professor Sir Michael Rawlins, a man who loudly protested to the governments intentions to reclassify cannabis AGAINST the ACMD's advice, has quietly stepped down as leader of the Advisory Council, to be replaced by Professor David Nutt, and one of the first things Professor Nutt has asked for is for the classification of ecstasy to be looked at with a view to reclassifying it a class B drug, as opposed to where it stands today, up there with heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine as a class A substance.

Here we go again.. 

I have every confidence that he will provide excellent and innovative leadership to the council providing the best possible advice to government."

Home secretary Jacqui Smith praised Sir Michael Rawlins and said: "I look forward to working with his successor so that the advisory council's expert advice can continue to inform our drive to reduce the harm caused by illegal substances."

There are signs Professor Nutt's appointment is already opening up the issue of ecstasy's classification. A Home Office spokesperson told politics.co.uk: "The ACMD will consider the evidence for the classification of ecstasy with an open mind based upon its social misuse and harms relative to other drugs in the classification system."

http://www.politics.co.uk

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