Dr David Nutt is not the new GalileoDope-loving Britons are hailing Dr David Nutt — the UK government drugs advisor whose views on cannabis got him sacked — as a “modern-day Galileo”. Get real, says Brendan O’Neill: Galileo was a pioneer; Nutt is a famewhore.
Drugs
weird 
The most bizarre CIA programs of all time
The CIA has funded some odd programs throughout its history. Like, luring men with prostitutes and then drugging them to observe the effects of acid and LSD. And implementing cats with microphones to spy on the Russians. Fun!
Drugs vs. booze
Debate is heating up in the UK after the government’s former chief drugs adviser, Dr David Nutt, was sacked over his views that cannabis is less harmful than cigarettes and alcohol. Now the scientific community is coming to his defence.
Drugs expert shown the door for disagreeing with government
The UK’s most prominent drugs expert has been kicked off a drugs advisory board for disagreeing with the government’s view that cannabis should be classified as a lethal drug.
Shoot first, pay them later: US loses the Afghan drug war
US military are struggling to handle the Afghan drug trade. Although it’s a violation of Afghanistan’s laws, the US military have complied a kill on sight, drug lord hit list. Too bad some Afghan drug lords are on the CIA’s pay roll, writes Jeff Sparrow.
Over diagnosis, wrong treatments: the mess of depression
Mental health issues — particularly depression and the increase in its over diagnosis — are turning young men into “the canaries in the coal mines of our toxic culture”, writes Miranda Devine.
Afghanistan: are assassinations the only answer?
When the military draws up its death lists, how does it distinguish between civilian and military targets? Should drug traffickers be put on the assassination list?
Republican moms heart marijuana
“As a Republican mother committed to legalizing marijuana, political life can be lonely,” admits Jessica Peck Corry. “But while many in my party whisper about the Drug War’s insanity, we should shout it from the rooftop: the time to legalize is now.”
Stoned wallabies, not aliens, damaging poppy crops
The mystery of crop circles in and around Tasmania’s legal opium poppy fields may have been solved. It’s not aliens, but junkie wallabies hopping around in dazed circles.
Nice people take drugs. No really. I saw it on a bus
If you are travelling around central London this month, don’t be surprised to see a double-decker bus carrying the campaign slogan “Nice People Take Drugs”, writes President of the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation Dr Alex Wodak.
America’s favourite drugs
How popular are various drugs by area? GOOD do what they do best, and show us — in graph form. Pretty, pretty graph form.
Letting Cousins back willl be a backwards step for the AFL
This weekend, the AFL is deciding whether to bend the rules one more time to get Ben Cousins back on the field. Greg Hill looks at the potential repercussions of this decision.
Oz government sort of, but not really, opposes the death penalty
Does the Australian government openly opposes the death penalty, but at the same time doesn’t oppose it? It really depends on who is doing the dying, writes Irfan Yusuf.
Is global drugs policy about to shift?
Global drug policy may be about to undergo a major shift – if the United Nations has the courage and foresight to accept the recommendations of a recent forum it convened, writes Dr Alex Wodak.
It works, so why is Kings Cross injecting centre still on trial?
There is no doubt that Australia’s first Medically Supervised Injecting Centre has improved the health of the most marginalised injecting drug users. So why is it still on trial? asks Dr Ingrid Van Beek
Supporting cannabis law reform without inhaling
Although consumption has declined recently, significant demand for cannabis has existed in Australia for more than four decades, writes Alex Wodak.
Reality check: You need to s-x up politics to get eyeballs
‘Give me some gossip please’ should be the instruction to political journalists from editors interested in giving readers more of what they actually want to read. A study of news web sites over he last five week days shows that stories about the habits, frailties and foibles of celebrities are what the visitors turn to, writes Richard Farmer.
