The financial crisis? It's caused by… cocaine. This time it's not the usual cliché or one of the frequent gossip about the business world, but the authoritative (albeit audacious) thesis of the English professor David Nutt, neuropsychopharmacologist and former UK government drug adviser.
Nutt, who already caused a scandal in 2009 by claiming that "consuming ecstasy is basically no more harmful than riding a horse", did not mince words in an interview released a few days ago to Sunday Times: “Bankers have taken absurd risks in recent years due to excessive cocaine use, which as is well known involves a frightening state of excitement and low consciousness". “Because of cocaine use they have become overconfident of themselves and got us into this awful mess.”, ruled Nutt with clear reference to the crisis of the international banking and financial system, which according to him would be caused by the frequent use of white powder.
Nutt's theory, however unprovable, it could nevertheless be believable and certainly taken as an axiom in one of those many bar chats in which one tries to sift through the life of the powerful. What is certain is that the bankers have actually done some damage, even if to be honest, the credibility of the English professor has also been somewhat damaged in recent years.
Indeed, David Nutt was fired by the government in 2009 from his historic position as guru of drugs and narcotic substances following the famous interview in which he compared the damages of ecstasy to those that can be caused by riding a horse, and in which argued that ecstasy and LSD are actually less harmful than alcohol.
An uncomfortable character, therefore, as he is absolutely against the tide and often in conflict with government decisions: two weeks ago, for example, before giving bankers cocaine addicts, he had expressed doubts about the laws in the UK which have banned the use of "magic mushrooms" since 2005 , ecstasy and cannabis: “These restrictions hinder medical research as make it difficult to get hold of one of their ingredients, psilocybin, which is used to treat depression.”
Here too, some traditionalist or respectable could easily be indignant, but what if Professor Nutt isn't entirely wrong? Possible, as long as he didn't ride too far before handing down his sentences.
