The Drug Science Podcast

In this episode, Prof Nutt meets with Prof Alex Stevens, researcher in drug policy, treatment and harm reduction and Gillian Shorter, a researcher into the health and wellbeing of people who use alcohol and drugs. In this episode they discuss harm reduction strategies in the UK. They delve into the root causes of the stigma surrounding substance use disorders and explore the effectiveness of various harm reduction approaches, such as needle exchange programs and drug consumption rooms. The conversation also considers the politics surrounding these strategies and the limitations imposed by the Misuse of Drugs Act.   Drug consumption Rooms BBCDrug Science Enhanced Harm Reduction Working Group Needle ExchangeNaloxoneDrug Consumption Room High Tolerance Housing The Merseyside Model Drug TestingDrug Testing KitsInternational Harm Reduction Association HIV and AIDSOpiate Substitution Therapy Winter Comfort Case Support the Podcast ★ Support this podcast ★

What is the UK medical cannabis industry looking like in 2024?We are 6 years on from legalisation of cannabis-based medical products in the UK and although many patients have now been able to access these products, many others are still struggling to get access. In this episode of the Drug Science podcast, Prof. David Nutt is joined by three leading experts in cannabis science and the evolving landscape of regulation. Dr. Callie Seaman, Dr. Leon Barron, and Michael Sassano share their insights into the future of cannabis as a medicine, the current regulatory environment, and the scientific innovations driving the industry forwardCannabis Industry CouncilMedical Cannabis Working Group  SOMAI Pharmaceuticals Medical Cannabis Clinicians SocietyLondon Resilience Clinic German medical cannabis market NHS Cannabis-based products for medicinal useCost effectiveness paperHHS report This episode has been supported by the Cannabis Industry Council  ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, we meet with Darren Murphy, a Chemsex Specialist Practitioner at Forward Leeds, to discuss chemsex, addiction, as well as addressing the link with the LGBTQ+ community. Darren shares his personal journey, navigating the challenges of drug addiction and everything which came with it. Realising the limited support available for people engaging in chemsex, Darren shares how he uses his experiences to help others overcome similar struggles.   ChemSex and Being SaferMethamphetaminemephedroneGHBPoppersCocaineMdmaKetamineEating disorderHIVNarcotics AnonymousSupport the podcast ★ Support this podcast ★

 In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Simon Ruffell, a psychiatrist and ayahuasca researcher with extensive experience working with Indigenous communities in the Amazon Basin. He discusses the potential of Indigenous medicines to complement Western psychiatric care and reduce relapse rates. Dr. Ruffell compares Western and Indigenous approaches to using spiritual plants, addressing the ongoing debate about how to respectfully integrate Indigenous medicine into Western healthcare as well as highlighting the key differences between commercial ayahuasca retreats and authentic Indigenous practices. Lastly, he discusses aspects of Shipibo culture and a journey into Shamanism.   AyahuascaDMTPsilocybinPsychosisRevolving door syndromeShipiboHeroic HeartsSupport the PodcastDr Simon RuffellOnaya HealthOnaya ScienceMind over matterParticipation in an indigenous Amazonian-led ayahuasca retreat associated with increases in nature relatednessCeremonial Ayahuasca in Amazonian RetreatsModulatory effects of ayahuasca on personality structure in a traditional framework ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, we meet with Dr Karenza Moore as she discusses changes in drug trends in the UK, focusing on the motivations, risks, and patterns of drug use, particularly among young people. Karenza identifies trends in drug use, including the impact of the lockdown on substance abuse. She also examines various drug trends within dance music culture, which leads to a discussion of safer partying practices, with a particular focus on the LGBT community and the importance of staying safe during a night out.  Finally she addresses the challenges of conducting research in this area and outlines strategies for overcoming these barriers to gain a comprehensive understanding of substance use. KetamineMDMAMephedroneReleaseTransformBeckleys foundationSupport the podcast ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, Prof Nutt meets with Rose Cartwright as she discusses the impact of psychedelics on her Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). She reflects on some of the common misconceptions around OCD as well as the impact diagnosis and traditional treatment had on her life. Throughout the episode, she reflects on her own psychedelic experiences, mistakes made along the way and the steps she would have taken differently going into this with the knowledge she has today.Rose Cartwright is a screenwriter whose memoir, Pure, about her life with intrusive sexual thoughts, was adapted for Channel 4. Her revolutionary new memoir, The Maps We Carry, reveals how the failure of the mental health system to cure her OCD led her to radical action. While she explored her trauma through a series of mind-bending psychedelic trips, she began to interrogate our dominant medical paradigm. Her writing about psychedelics, consciousness and mental health has also been published in The Face, Vice and the Guardian. Rose is a writer on the Netflix adaptation of Liu Cixin’s The Three Body Problem.The Maps We Carry Rose Cartwright OCDBulimia PTSDPure Intrusive thoughtsPsychodynamic therapyPerson centred therapyMDMA PsilocybinSupport the podcast ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, we meet with Satya, a consciousness activist, who has been entirely dedicated to the expansion and evolution of human consciousness for 15 years. Throughout this time, she has facilitated retreats for over 63,000 people around the world, with profound processes of transformation. Satya is the founder of Working With Satya and of the Awareness Facilitator School, that is currently training facilitators with the method she has developed, uniting modern therapies with science, meditation and ancient wisdom.  She discusses the process of her work through a wide range of transformational processes, with a special focus on combining ancient rituals with contemporary therapeutic techniques. Satya shares how her personal healing journey, following sexual abuse, led her to discover the transformative power of Ayahuasca. Inspired by this experience, she became passionate about sharing this sacred medicine and supporting others on their own paths to healing. Working With Psilocybin - Training Course AyahuascaPsilocybinmescalineWorking with SatyaAyahuasca retreatTraumaPTSD in Veterans Indigenous ethics in psychedelic workSupport the podcast ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, we meet with Prof Susanne MacGregor and Prof Karen Duke to explore the issues surrounding drug use in prisons. They discuss the ways vulnerable inmates can be targeted by gangs, as well as how various aspects of the prison environment can increase the potential harms of psychoactive substances.  The risk matrix: Drug-related deaths in prisons in England and Wales, 2015–2020 Responding to ‘wicked problems’: policy and governance on drug-related deaths in English and Welsh prisons, 2015-2020Producing the ‘problem’ of new psychoactive substances (NPS) in English prisons‘Keeping a lid on it’: Exploring ‘problematisations’ of prescribed medication in prisons in the UK 'Risk, Intoxication and Death: contemporary media framings of drug-related deathsACMD report: ageing cohort of drug usersCity roads PPO Pregabalin Cannabis Synthetic cannabis EcstasyHeroin HIVFentanyl ADHD Rory Stewart 10 Prisons Project Antisocial personality disorder Support the podcast ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, David Nutt meets with Dr Duncan Still, a GP with significant interest in integrative medicine. He highlights the importance of adopting a holistic approach when providing support for patients and connecting traditional medicine with modern medicine as opposed to discounting it. Duncan explains how this holistic and integrative approach led to him becoming involved in psychedelic retreats and explains the process participants will undergo. PsyEduUK AcupuncturePsilocybinMDMAAustralia MDMA and psilocybinMind medicine AustraliaNature connectednessJames HawkinsSupport the Podcast ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode we meet with Dr Apo AporosaHe discusses his unconventional route to his PhD, having not finished school and joined the Army followed by the police only to break into academia at a masters level and continuing studies from there. Apo talks about his PTSD diagnosis and his subsequent journey with Kava, a spiritual drink consumed in Fijian culture. He discusses the affect this had in treating his PTSD symptoms as well as it facilitating his work overcoming his trauma. In this episode, Apo explains cultural aspects of the Kava experience.Finally, Apo discusses methods of translating Kava into the medical field without impacting on its traditional and cultural uses. as well as its position of legality within the UK.Kava Drug information What is Kava? Kava Myths and MisunderstandingsPTSDPTSD in VeteransFijian Kava CeremoneyBecome a drug science community member ★ Support this podcast ★