this is one time when I wish there was more government secrecy and subterfuge, inasmuch that they should simply restrict the details of the research until it is published so there can be none of this counterproductive media speculation until the scientists have done their work.
That said I think the government will ignore the report again, in the same way that previous governments have routinely ignored the Home Office commissioned drug researchers since the 1980s.
An old hippy lady I know what used to be a social worker showed me this drug advice leaflet from the 80s, and it totally challenged the sterotypes about drug users and the exaggerations of the harm caused. This leaflet was again compiled by Government scientises…
She said that the leaflet was quietly withdrawn on the advice of Thatcher to the Home Office as it gave “the wrong messages”
I do think that man in Somerset has a point about the “violence” bit but in many cases not proper pills that are going round the pub crowd nowadays but shite ones what have MCPP, BZP and similar substances, these can make people paranoid and therefore violent when in an already aggresive environment such as a pub.
OTOH there is also a flipside even with good pills, the mood swings can and do make people impulsive and even violent, I have seen this happen a fair few times – people tend to get pissed on the comedown too so this is where this negative stereotype may have arisen from.
I am certainly aware of people what would take a few pills whilst going to the pub and still get in fights etc and they were able to fight the “loved up feelings” and turn it towards anger and aggression.
But that does say a lot about the individual and surroundings they are in as much as the drug.
