david nutt puts forward alcohol alternative

David Nutt, scourge of the mainstream political parties for his far too sensible views on illegal drugs, is to launch an ‘alcohol alternative‘, a drug that does away with the harmful effects on health of alcohol while retaining a similar buzz.

The drug will be tested by adding to a non-alcoholic cocktail, as the current chemical make up of the drug means adding to beer or wine would change their flavour.

As Nutt says “Alcohol is the leading cause of death in Britain today in men between the ages of 16 and 50…It has overtaken traffic accidents, suicide and cancer.” so his alternative (apparently a derivative of benzodiazepine), if it can be proved safe, could have a huge impact on health in this country.

The drug is designed so the first three doses create a cumulative effect, with all doses after that have no effect whatsoever. Nutt is also in the process of designing an antidote, so users can sober up should they choose to. How very civilized!

For more on the story, read this piece on The Guardian website.