DrugScience
DrugScience or Drug Science (originally called the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs (ISCD)) is a UK-based drugs advisory committee proposed and initially funded by hedge fund manager Toby Jackson. It is chaired by Professor David Nutt and was officially launched on 15 January 2010 with the help of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies. The primary aim of the committee is to review and investigate the scientific evidence of drug harms without the political interference that could result from government affiliation.
| Formation | 15 January 2010 |
|---|---|
Chief Executive Officer | David Badcock |
Key people | Barry Everitt, David Nutt |
| Website | www |
Formerly called | Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs (ISCD) |
The establishment of the committee followed the controversial sacking of Professor Nutt, on 30 October 2009 as chair of the UK's statutory Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs by UK Home Secretary, Alan Johnson after the Equasy controversy. The controversy followed his Eve Saville Memorial Lecture (2009) at the Centre.
DrugScience initially focused on reviewing official risk estimates for psychedelic drugs, ecstasy and cannabis, and increasing warnings of the dangers of ketamine. In 2013, DrugScience launched the peer-review academic journal Drug Science, Policy and Law published by SAGE. They currently have three working groups Medical Cannabis, Medical Psychedelics, and Enhanced Harm Reduction.