The Drug Science Podcast

Professor David Nutt begins season 2 by taking a deep dive into entheogenic plants with a legend of the psychedelic renaissance - Dennis McKenna. Dennis deliberates on his life’s work, ethnobotany, innovation within psychedelic industry, the therapeutic potential of DMT and the indigenous use of ayahuasca.

Dennis McKenna's research has focused on the interdisciplinary study of Amazonian ethnopharmacology and plant hallucinogens. He has conducted extensive ethnobotanical fieldwork in the Peruvian, Colombian, and Brazilian Amazon.

Mckenna Academy of Natural Philosophy - https://mckenna.academy/

The Shaman and the Scientist - https://vimeo.com/ondemand/tsats

Ethnopharmacologic Search for Psychoactive Drugs: 50 Years of Research book https://www.synergeticpress.com/shop/dennis-mckenna/

Symposium launching this book^^^ - www.ESPD50.com 

and finally - https://vimeo.com/showcase/4766647 all of the lectures from this symposium on Vimeo

Heffter Research - https://www.heffter.org/

LSD - https://drugscience.org.uk/drug-information/lsd/

Psilocybin - https://drugscience.org.uk/drug-information/psilocybin/

Salvia - https://drugscience.org.uk/drug-information/salvia/

Twitter: @DennisMcKenna4

Become a Drug Science Community Member: https://www.donate.drugscience.org.uk/

Twitter: @ProfDavidNutt @Drug_Science

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How can psychedelics be used to help healthy people? In our last episode we heard about how psychedelics can be used to help the sick, but what about the healthy?

Wellbeing is becoming an increasingly studied element of everyday living. Those that maintain and take active steps to better their own wellbeing are happier people, who are more content with their own existence.

One way in which people are doing this is through the process of microdosing psychedelics. However, we have very little evidence of its effect. Professor David Nutt is joined by Dr David Erritzøe, who is conducting research in neurobiology and the ground-breaking trials into microdosing LSD, asking the all-important question, is microdosing real or placebo? To find out more about Dr Erritzøe's & Dr Szigeti's self-blinded microdosing trial please visit - https://selfblinding-microdose.org/

Furthermore, an individual’s connection with their surrounding natural environment is a strong indicator of that person’s overall wellbeing. Humankind’s apathy for nature has dwindled over the years and a substantial cognitive shift is needed to save us from ecological destruction. Dr Sam Gandy joins Professor Nutt, his research focusses on how psychedelics could save the planet from ecological collapse by remedying our disconnection from nature. For more information regarding psychedelics role in humans connection to nature, please see Dr Gandy's recently released paper with Imperial College London - https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/24/5147 

Drug Science is the leading independent scientific body on drugs in the UK. We work to provide clear, evidence-based information without political or commercial interference. @Drug_Science @ProfDavidNutt

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What is the role of psychedelics in medicine? The question professor David Nutt, Michelle Baker Jones and Matt Jackson will be discussing, in the first EVER live Drug Science podcast recording!

The world is entering a new phase of psychiatric treatments. Traditional pharmacology is currently unable to address the decline of mental health and wellbeing. Professor Nutt has assembled some of the best and brightest minds in psychedelic science and wellbeing to address the question- Do Psychedelics have a role to play in mental health and wellbeing? 

Guests Include: 

Michelle Baker Jones

Michelle is an integrative psycho-therapeutic counsellor. She is a member of the Imperial Colleges Psychedelic Research Team exploring the therapeutic potential of psilocybin. She also offers individual integration sessions for people who are struggling to process Psychedelic experiences.

Special Guest – Matt Jackson

A participant from the Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression study. Matt, a self-confessed sceptic, sheds some light on what it is like to be given psilocybin in a clinical setting. 

To find out more about the film Magic Medicine, visit https://magicmedicine.net/ 

Drug Science is the leading independent scientific body on drugs in the UK. We work to provide clear, evidence-based information without political or commercial interference. 

@Drug_Science @ProfDavidNutt

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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 do we as a society treat the cause of addiction?

To answer these questions, Professor Nutt and his guests examine; the Portuguese model, talking to teenagers about drug use, the use of drugs within prisons and the revolving door that this creates.

Mark Johnson is the author of the book ‘Wasted’ and founder of ‘User Voice’. At the beginning of the 21st century, Mark spiralled into addiction and homelessness. He used drugs to replace the lack of love and support he had been deprived of as a child. Now, he is 19 years clean and tackling his addiction head-on.

Conversely, Ian Miller has used drugs all of his adult life but has not developed a dependency. As a rebel in his teens, he used drugs out of curiosity, not as a coping mechanism.

Drug Science is the leading independent scientific body on drugs in the UK. We work to provide clear, evidence-based information without political or commercial interference.

@Drug_Science @ProfDavidNutt

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Professor David Nutt sits down with Joss Stone, Suzi Gage & Hannah Deacon to discuss the recent progress and biggest issues relating to medicinal cannabis. Many people up and down the country have turned to cannabis to alleviate pain & reduce symptoms of a wide range of ailments. Despite this, the drug still carries hefty penalties of up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both for possession.

Joss Stone is a singer songwriter from Devon. She gained international acclaim for her first album The Soul Sessions and has more recently been on a mission to ‘bring loveliness’ to the world, through music with her total world tour. Find out more about what she is up to at https://www.jossstone.com/

Dr Suzi Gage is a lecturer at Liverpool University & hosts the podcast Say Why To Drugs. She specialises in Drugs and mental health research with a particular interest in the link between cannabis & mental health problems. Follow her @soozaphone on twitter 

Hannah Deacon has been fighting for years for her son Alfie to be able to receive cannabis based medication on the NHS to treat his epilepsy. She explains her tumultuous journey at the start of this podcast.

Drug Science is the leading independent scientific body on drugs in the UK. We work to provide clear, evidence-based information without political or commercial interference. @Drug_Science @ProfDavidNutt

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Professor David Nutt sits down with Fiona Measham, Anna Wade & Janine Milburn for an in depth look into why drug testing is so vital at festivals and beyond. Topics discussed include; Janine's views following her daughters accidental overdose, how drug testing works at The Loop's facilities, tackling the idea that the practice sends 'mixed messages', what happens in other countries & the results The Loop are seeing from their work. 

Fiona Measham is a Professor of criminology at Durham University. She has also founded the drug testing facility The Loop with the aim of educating and therefor reducing the harms of drugs in festivals and city centres. https://wearetheloop.org/

Anna Wade is the PR manager for Boomtown Fair and has been working there for the past 9 years. She has worked alongside The Loop since 2017. https://www.boomtownfair.co.uk/

Janine Milburn's daughter was one of two people who died from ‘2 high dose’ pills of ecstasy at Mutiny Festival in 2018. She has since been outspoken about her views on harm reduction, and advocates for front of house drug testing at festivals. Georgia Jones – Don’t Go With The Flo

Drug Science is the leading independent scientific body on drugs in the UK. We work to provide clear, evidence-based information without political or commercial interference. @Drug_Science @ProfDavidNutt

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Professor David Nutt, Doctor Christian Jessen and Adrian Chiles in a wide-ranging, frank and open conversation on the topic of alcohol - exploring such topics as their own relationship with alcohol, a ‘healthy’ amount of units a week, binge vs regular drinking, self-medication, health and social ‘benefits’ and harms, the hypocrisy of current regulation, David’s invention of a calorie free, non-toxic synthetic alcohol, and whether or not any of us would want to live in a world where no one drank.

Dr Christian is and award winning TV presenter and medical doctor. His main aim is to help raise medical awareness and simplify, demystify de-stigmatise and explain the sometimes complicated and inaccessible world of medicine to the public. @DoctorChristian

Adrian Chiles is a radio & TV presenter. In his 2018 BBC documentary 'Drinkers like me' Adrian takes a long hard look at his own love of boozing. 

Drug Science is the leading independent scientific body on drugs in the UK. We work to provide clear, evidence-based information without political or commercial interference.

@Drug_Science @ProfDavidNutt

A Fascinate Productions podcast

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