30-05-2025
Only drink one glass of wine a year, says researcher
Prof Nutt is a neuropsychopharmacologist and the chairman of the discipline at Imperial College London, as well as a former government drugs adviser.
He clashed with Jacqui Smith, the then home secretary, after comparing the 100 deaths a year from horse riding with the 30 deaths a year linked to ecstasy.
His advisory committee had recommended that cannabis should not be reclassified from Class C back to Class B, leading to heavier penalties, but the recommendation was not taken on board by Ms Smith.
Prof Nutt said there was a 'relatively small risk' of psychotic illness linked to cannabis use, but that to prevent one episode of schizophrenia, it would be necessary to 'stop 5,000 men aged 20 to 25 from ever using' cannabis. He also supported reclassifying ecstasy from a Class A to Class B.
He has been outspoken about the harms of alcohol but has also helped his daughter open a wine bar and admitted that he enjoys a tipple on weekends and special occasions.
Mixed advice on alcohol consumption
Advice on alcohol consumption, and the health benefits and risks of drinking wine in particular, has often been mixed.
One recent study, published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, suggested that champagne and white wine 'protect' the heart from cardiac arrest. It suggested long-term beliefs about the benefits of red wine may also apply to other varieties of the drink.
Its thought that the polyphenols found in wine, typically associated with red wine, can play a role in lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart disease.
These antioxidants can be found in all types of wine but are lower in white varieties, and some experts think they can help to protect the heart and other body cells as well as the brain. However, this research does not take into account the other potential harms that alcohol can cause.
Prof Nutt recommends following the guidelines set out by the NHS, which state that both men and women should not drink 'more than 14 units a week [equivalent to six pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of lower-strength wine] on a regular basis'.
