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The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is the UK's official drugs advisory body
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Campaigners have criticised government plans to remove the legal requirement for scientists to be on the Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs.
The proposal follows the sacking of top adviser Professor David Nutt last year, and seven other advisers' resignations amid complaints that politics rather than evidence was driving drugs policy.
The Drugs Equality Alliance accused ministers of "seeking vengeance".
The Home Office insisted scientific advice remained "absolutely critical".
BBC home editor Mark Easton said the proposed law change was included in the miscellaneous section of the Police Reform Bill and had "received no publicity from the Home Office".
"However, a number of groups have now begun a campaign around the issue," he said.
The Campaign for Science and Engineering suggested the government was "trying to take us back to the time of minister knows best".
The committee "could become filled with 'yes men'", warned Oxford professor of neurobiology Colin Blakemore.
The last Labour government sacked Prof Nutt as council chairman in October last year, after he criticised the decision to reclassify cannabis to Class B from C.
He accused ministers of devaluing and distorting evidence and said drugs classification was being politicised.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is the UK's official drugs advisory body Related stories
Campaigners have criticised government plans to remove the legal requirement for scientists to be on the Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs.
The proposal follows the sacking of top adviser Professor David Nutt last year, and seven other advisers' resignations amid complaints that politics rather than evidence was driving drugs policy.
The Drugs Equality Alliance accused ministers of "seeking vengeance".
The Home Office insisted scientific advice remained "absolutely critical".
BBC home editor Mark Easton said the proposed law change was included in the miscellaneous section of the Police Reform Bill and had "received no publicity from the Home Office".
"However, a number of groups have now begun a campaign around the issue," he said.
The Campaign for Science and Engineering suggested the government was "trying to take us back to the time of minister knows best".
The committee "could become filled with 'yes men'", warned Oxford professor of neurobiology Colin Blakemore.
The last Labour government sacked Prof Nutt as council chairman in October last year, after he criticised the decision to reclassify cannabis to Class B from C.
He accused ministers of devaluing and distorting evidence and said drugs classification was being politicised.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
