The future of the UK Government’s Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) hangs in the balance after very public loggerheads. In a nutshell: its chairman (Professor Nutt) is sacked by the Home Secretary (Alan Johnson) for ‘campaigning against government’ by saying that alcohol and tobacco are more dangerous than drugs. This prompts two more of its 30 strong council to then resign in protest. The remainder will meet on November 10^th to discuss if it’s possible to continue advising a government that dismisses scientific evidence so readily.