Review body’s advice to reclassify ecstasy rejected

THE British government rejected advice from its own narcotics advisory body yesterday to lower the penalties for possessing the drug ecstasy, raising questions over the relevance of the expert panel.

Home Office Minister Alan Campbell said the government was unwilling to run the risk of increasing use of the drug, which is directly responsible for about 15 deaths a year.

“The government will not send a signal to young people and the public in general that we take ecstasy less seriously.”