The programme seemed geared towards presenting Ecstasy (MDMA) as a tool for treating PTSD, although there is a body of research proposing doing the same with the cheap and non-addictive beta-blocker Propranolol.
It has to be remembered that this is also a nightclub drug that has killed. It wasn’t until nearly the end of this first part of the documentary that a psychiatrist in the audience pointed out the difference between using MDMA in a clinical setting and to enhance a night out.
One of the presenters is Dr David Nutt, who was spectacularly fired from his post as head of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs for publishing a scientific paper claiming that horse-riding is more dangerous than Ecstasy. Then-Home Secretary Jacqui Smith decided he was being disrespectful towards E’s victims, and suggestions that drugs policy be made by scientists instead of politicians were met by Daniel Hannan MEP with "Perhaps we should abandon democracy and be ruled by Prof David Nutt".
Spend the weekend in an A&E department: most of the substance-based attrition you see will be due to alcohol, a legal drug. Whatever Ecstasy/MDMA’s therapeutic potential, I’m left with the feeling that Nutt is in pursuit of unfinished business in terms of legalising more drugs, which he seems not to understand will be used by people in non-clinical settings and will create more harm.
Gerry Dorrian
300 words
Resources
Watch Drugs Live: the Ecstasy Trial on channel4.com
Equasy – An overlooked addiction with implications for the current debate on drug harms by David Nutt, Journal of Psychopharmacology
Propranolol treatment of traumatic memories, Advances in Psychiatric Treatment
"It has to be remembered that this is also a nightclub drug that has killed."
ReplyDeleteAre you seriously saying the fact that a substance has been involved in ANY amount of deaths is significantly important?
We should remember that peanuts are also a substance that has killed
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1325192/A-peanuts-killed-Sarah-death-saved-thousands.html
Should we ban peanuts? Why are we allowing Tesco to peddle such dangerous substances to our children?!
What if I make a blog post showing a sick kid in hospital dying from peanut allergy? Does it make sense then?
This might seem a ridiculous comparison to you, but what is really ridiculous is claiming that ANY death related to a substance is unacceptable, and refusing to judge risk in relative terms. Because if you did that you'd have to accept MDMA usage is significantly less risky than many commonly accepted activities, including for example horse riding (which doesn't just kill more people per 100 users/riders, but also leaves dozens each year with paralysing head and spinal injuries).
If I show you a photo of a young girl who's been killed by falling off a horse, will your rally the call to ban horseriding?
"One of the presenters is Dr David Nutt, who was spectacularly fired from his post as head of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs for publishing a scientific paper claiming that horse-riding is more dangerous than Ecstasy. Then-Home Secretary Jacqui Smith decided he was being disrespectful towards E’s victims,"
The fact that it happens to be true doesn't matter?
We should applaud politicians who fire scientific advisers for saying scientifically valid facts that are politically unpopular because of years of propaganda?
"Whatever Ecstasy/MDMA’s therapeutic potential, I’m left with the feeling that Nutt is in pursuit of unfinished business in terms of legalising more drugs, which he seems not to understand will be used by people in non-clinical settings and will create more harm."
There's absolutely no evidence that legalizing drugs will create more harm. In fact there's lots of evidence that it reduces harm because it allows addicts to be treated, and it removes the health risk from contaminated drugs.
You should look at countries where drugs have been legalized/decriminalized such as Switzerland, Portugal and the Netherlands, and realize those policies have significantly reduced drug-associated harms.
Portugal cut HIV transmission in half by treating heroin addicts as patients and not as criminals. They also increased the number of addicts willing to come in for treatment. Something you as a former drugs-worker are supposed to care about. In the Netherlands the average age a teenager uses cannabis is several years higher than in the UK, precisely because its regulated and age restricted. Black market drug dealers do not check for ID.
But who cares about saving peoples lives when you have a photo of a dead kid.
In my own opinion, the fact that this drug was prohibited and yet there are many who are in the drug treatment centers right now. Legalizing love drug would still go far for discussions.
ReplyDeleteI had interviewed one ecstasy rehab and I found out the many reasons of love drug addiction. Many are depression from families and personal failures.
ReplyDeletehey man the drug works... thats the problem; the government are way back in the 50s, laws are older than you or I and have no scientific evidence to back it up. Its not just the drugs laws that need relooked its all the laws, its stupid that any of you can think your intelligent when we have a prime minister who was fed on a golden spoon all his life and doesnt know anything.
ReplyDelete