Government adviser Eric Carlin resigns over mephedrone

A government adviser has quit the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs over the criminalisation of mephedrone.

Eric Carlin said the council's decision taken earlier this week was "unduly based on media and political pressure".

Mr Carlin is the latest member of the body to resign following the sacking of former chairman Professor David Nutt.

The council has recommended that the substance, linked to at least four UK deaths, and other so-called "legal highs" be classified as Class B drugs.

In his resignation letter to Home Secretary Alan Johnson, Mr Carlin wrote : "We had little or no discussion about how our recommendation to classify this drug would be likely to impact on young people's behaviour.

"Our decision was unduly based on media and political pressure."

He added: "As well as being extremely unhappy with how the ACMD operates, I am not prepared to continue to be part of a body which, as its main activity, works to facilitate the potential criminalisation of increasing numbers of young people."

That must be six or seven resignations now?