Authors Published Gillian W Shorter, Magdalena Harris, Andrew McAuley, Kirsten MA Trayner, Alex Stevens May 4, 2022 Background The United Kingdom (UK) is currently experiencing a public health crisis of drug-related deaths. The government has rejected recommendations to open overdose prevention services, under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. To report on the operation and …
Authors Anne K Schlag, Jacob Aday, Iram Salam, Jo C Neill, David J Nutt Published February 3, 2022 Psychedelic medicines are a rapidly developing area of clinical research and public health policy. Despite an increasing body of studies highlighting their efficacy to treat a broad range of medical conditions, psychedelic drugs remain a controversial issue …
Authors Ben Houghton, Alexis Bailey, Christos Kouimtsidis, Theodora Duka, Caitlin Notley Published November 25, 2021 Background Opioid-related deaths are at record levels in the UK and contribute to over half of all drug-related deaths. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders within people who uses substances is known to be considerably higher than the general population, yet …
A personal Q&A from two patients of psychedelic therapy: Psilocybin for depression – Michael Bourne Michael Bourne is a 57-year-old website designer from the North East of England, who tried several unsuccessful depression treatments, including talking therapy and prescription medications, before turning to psilocybin clinical trials. Michael took part in research into psilocybin treatment …
Authors Dang Minh Hieu, Benjamin Gray, Dang Minh Tuan, Benjamin P Colman Published August 29, 2021 Drug addiction is a historical issue in Vietnam. Although Vietnam has a long history as a producer of opium poppies and crossroads for the illicit drug trade, it now has some of the most stringent drug laws in the …
In this Drug Science webinar, we learn how ayahuasca may be helpful in the treatment of addiction, trauma, and anger issues from addiction recovery coach Mark Drax, who describes the efficacy of ayahuasca to treat sex addiction. From the age of 3, Mark Drax’ childhood was riddled with physical abuse both in his home and …
In this Drug Science webinar, Dr Chloe Sakal explains how she built a career as a psychiatrist focusing on drug use and addiction. She describes her day to day work in a typical week as an addiction psychiatrist and shares the other options available to work in psychedelic research and harm reduction. Addiction psychiatry is …
Drug usage is currently extremely high and it is particularly prevalent amongst those suffering from mental health conditions. Despite this, many healthcare workers are not trained to recognise the signs of substance misuse and are often unaware of how to treat this distinctive patient group appropriately. Psychiatric patients who use drugs are much less likely …
This week’s episode features Dr Gabor Maté, a Hungarian-Canadian physician who’s main interests include childhood development and trauma, and their impact on lifelong physical and mental health. Professor Nutt and Dr Maté talk about the inseparable nature of our body and mind. How do they affect each other? How can psychedelics offer therapeutic potential …
Tobacco and alcohol are the largest sources of preventable death in the world. Our current treatments are only 15% effective at best. However, psilocybin-assisted therapy has achieved an astonishing 80% success rate in clinical trials. Professor Matthew Johnson is paving the way for this new an innovative treatment to address one of the most damaging …
In this episode of the Drug Science podcast, Professor Nutt is joined by an old friend who he has known for 35 years. Professor Roland Griffiths is a researcher who has examined a wide range of psychotropic substances over the years. He has studied, the abuse potential of a number of different substances; caffeine dependence …
By Dr Tracey Myton MRCPsych Consultant Addiction Psychiatrist Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust March 2020 seems like a lifetime ago. Coronavirus came nearer and nearer and was viewed with varying degrees of gravity whilst we went about our daily business. In mid-March we were called to seriously consider how our services should …
The Home Secretary has this week amended the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, providing Ministers with emergency powers concerning the supply of controlled drugs such as morphine in specified circumstances during a pandemic. Ministers now have the option to trigger additional flexibilities during the covid-19 pandemic, such as allowing pharmacies to supply controlled medication without …
What do horse riding, motorsports, base jumping, mountain climbing, storm chasing, and drug use have in common? They are of all course all potentially dangerous activities pursued for a thrill, a rush, and often a great deal of enjoyment. But in our modern-day prohibitionist culture, one of those things is not seen as being like …
Professor David Nutt sits down with Mark Johnson and Ian Miller to discuss the science, and challenge the concept, of addiction. • Why do some people become ‘addicted’ to drugs and others do not? • Is addiction physical or psychological? • Should drug and alcohol services focus on the drug or the individual? • How …
Context In recent years there has been an increase in the availability of ‘novel psychoactive substances (NPS)’ or ‘legal highs’. In turn, there is concern as to the risks these compounds pose as compared to those posed by traditionally misused substances such as illicit diamorphine (heroin), methadone, cocaine, and amfetamines. Methods We reviewed deaths where …