Professor David J. Nutt, past chairman of the UK's Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, believes a radical new approach to drug policy that may include the regulated sale of some drugs is in order. He thinks drug users should face civil sanctions such as fines or the loss of their driver's license instead of criminal penalties. Nutt says the criminal approach to drugs has failed but there was a reluctance to change because most politicians were scared of losing votes if they were to tell the truth about the failed drug policy.