article_snippet: David Nutt compared current attitudes to studying recreational drugs with the Catholic church's clampdown on pioneering Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei in the 17th century.
article_snippet: David Nutt said: 'The only comparable example is when the Catholic church banned the telescope in 1616. '
article_snippet: We've banned research on psychedelic drugs and other drugs like cannabis for 50 years. '
article_snippet: Truly in terms of the amount of wasted opportunity, it's way greater than the banning of the telescope.
article_snippet: Since it was made illegal in 1967 it had only been the subject of one clinical study in Switzerland and two neuroscience studies. '
article_snippet: But no research is done on them. '
article_snippet: The issue always comes 'well look, these are recreational drugs', and the recreational label is so powerful
article_snippet: I think the recreational label scares people off,' Professor Nutt said. '