The Home Secretary has appointed Professor Alex Stevens of the University of Kent to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. The ACMD is an independent body which makes recommendations to government on the control of illicit drugs, including classification under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
Its remit includes work on the misuse of medicines, treatment of drug dependence and the regulation of new psychoactive substances, or so-called “legal highs”. The Home Secretary, Theresa May has appointed nine new members, amongst them Professor Alex Stevens of the University of Kent’s School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research.
Professor Stevens has worked on issues of drugs, crime and health in the voluntary, academic and governmental sectors, publishing extensively and with a focus on the sociology of drugs and crime, risk behaviours by young people, the use of evidence in policy and on quasi-compulsory drug treatment.
The complete list of new appointees is:
- Dr Steve Pleasance, a chartered chemist with 20 year’s experience in pharmaceutical research and development. Currently Head of Industry with the Royal Society of Chemistry.
- Dr Ben Whalley, Professor of Neuropharmacology and School Director of Research at the University of Reading.
- Fiona Bauermeister, Assistant Chief Officer with London Community Rehabilitation Company.
- Rob Phipps, who recently retired from the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland. He was head of Health Development Policy Branch responsible for the government’s alcohol and drug policy for Northern Ireland.
- Dr Tim Millar, a Senior Research Fellow and the Addiction Research Strategy Lead at the University of Manchester.
- Dr Kostas Agath, an addictions consultant psychiatrist, currently working in both the NHS and voluntary sector.
- Dr Emily Finch, clinical director of the Addictions Clinical Academic Group and a consultant psychiatrist for South London and Maudsley NHS Trust.
- Dr Marcus Roberts, chief executive of DrugScope.
- Professor Alex Stevens, Professor of Criminal Justice and Deputy Head of the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research at the University of Kent.
More information about the ACMD and the new appointments can be found here.