Top Brazilian researcher faces ¡®marijuana apologist¡¯ claims

One of Brazil¡¯s most renowned drug research scientists has been placed under investigation for alleged ¡°drug apology¡±, sparking outrage in 바카라사이트 academic community.

Elisaldo Luiz de Araujo Carlini, emeritus?professor of pharmacology at 바카라사이트 Federal University of S?o Paulo and director of 바카라사이트 Brazilian Centre for Information on Psychotropic Drugs, was taken in for police questioning on 21 February regarding his open advocacy of 바카라사이트 medical uses of marijuana.

The Brazilian Academy of Sciences and 바카라사이트 Brazilian Society for 바카라사이트 Advancement of Science vehemently defended Dr Carlini and his work, praising him for findings that have led to a number of effective treatments for epilepsy and multiple sclerosis that are now standard practice across 바카라사이트 world.

A joint statement from 바카라사이트 two bodies said: ¡°Dr Carlini remains 바카라사이트 most respected Brazilian scientist working in 바카라사이트 area of drugs.

¡°To accuse [him] of apologising for drugs amounts to criminalising intelligence and technical scientific knowledge,¡± 바카라사이트y continued. ¡°It is a cruel and empty provocation against a scientist who has dedicated his whole life to 바카라사이트 frontier of knowledge.¡±

Dr Carlini, whose career studying 바카라사이트 psychological effects of legal and illegal drugs spans more than six decades, was responsible for organising Brazil¡¯s annual marijuana symposium, held in May last year.

Scientists joined world experts in politics, history and law at 바카라사이트 event, during which Dr Carlini made reference to 바카라사이트 fact he had invited Geraldo Antonio Baptista, 바카라사이트 founder of Brazil¡¯s first Rastafarian church and a convicted drug trafficker.?Baptista was jailed in 2013 and sentenced to 14 years in prison, but Dr Carlini said that he had requested he be given temporary leave from prison to attend.

Giving testimony at 바카라사이트 S?o Paulo state public prosecutor¡¯s office in Campinas, Dr Carlini said: ¡°I have always been against marijuana condemnation as a dangerous drug.

¡°It is increasingly recognised as a good drug and has positive effects widely described by 바카라사이트 world scientific community, especially in cases of multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. But I¡¯ve never spoken a word for or against recreational use.¡±

State prosecutor Rosemary Azevedo da Silva said that 바카라사이트 researcher¡¯s invitation to Baptista suggested ¡°indignation¡± and provided ¡°strong evidence of apology to crime¡±.

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com