In this episode, Prof Neill and Dr Thurgur meet with Dr Gül Dölen, a neuroscientist known for studying social behaviour and psychedelic drugs. Together, they explore the role of critical periods in trauma and mental health; following the potential of Psychedelics in reopening critical periods which were previously thought to be closed, they debate whether a critical period closing is ever truly permanent. Critical period Sensitive period Lorenz 1935 MDMA cocaine Oxytocin Ibogaine psilocybin Theory of mind Albert Hofmann Schizophrenia Become a Drug Science Community Member ★ Support this podcas ..read more

In this episode, Prof Nutt meets with German author Norman Ohler as he speaks about his new book “Tripped” which addresses drug use in post-Nazi Germany. Ohler shares how a secret history held back therapeutic research of psychedelic drugs for decades and eventually Nazi policies became part of the foundation of America’s War on Drugs. Ohler discusses theories as to why substances have been omitted from certain parts of history. This episode delves into deep debates regarding the weaponisation of substances within war environments, touching upon the CIA’s attempts to weaponise psychedelics suc ..read more

In this episode, we meet with Jane Slater, co-founder of Anyone’s Child and Anne Marie, a mother who tragically lost her child, Martha, to an accidental overdose. Anne and Jane discuss the consequences of drug policy failures and the need for safe drug use education, drawing in on Anne’s personal journey. She discusses the pain of losing a loved one to a preventable drug related death and how this pain led to the start of Anyone's Child - creating a voice for those who have been directly impacted by drug policy failures and are now calling for the legal control and regulation of the drug mark ..read more

In this week's episode, we feature John Marks, an Addiction Psychologist who spearheaded the Merseyside experiment in northwest England from 1982 to 1995. Throughout this 13-year period, Marks fearlessly operated clinics in Liverpool, basing his practice on the long-term maintenance prescribing of opiates to opiate users. The high media profile of his work, set against the backdrop of febrile local politics in Liverpool, brought immense political pressure. This pressure eventually led to the closure of the clinics. Tune in to this episode as John Marks shares his first-hand experiences, recou ..read more

In this episode, we meet with Patrick Cox, a fashion designer with a background collaborating with Vivianne Westwood. Patrick shares his personal journey from his lifestyle in fashion, led to confronting deep-seated intergenerational trauma. Patrick opens up about undertaking the highly secretive Hoffman Process, and the transformative impact this had on him. From there, he further recounts his journey through the healing use of psychedelics, emphasising the transformative power of ego death. Patrick highlights how this journey led to him becoming a 5-MeO facilitator, and guiding others throug ..read more

In this episode, David Nutt meets with Evgeny Lebedev, owner of the Independent and Evening Standard newspaper. Lebedev shares his transformative journey during his first Ayahuasca ceremony in Costa Rica. Throughout the episode, Lebedev not only shares insight into the ceremony's practices but also describes each personal ayahuasca experience and the themes that tied them together. He highlights his revelations resulting from the ceremony and they discuss the potential of psychedelics within healing practices.    Ayahuasca Psilocybin LSD DMT Small Pharma Medical Cannabis Vietnam hipp ..read more

In the last episode of our live series, David meets with Sorcha as she explains her ongoing research into using low dose psilocybin in treating OCD. She discusses the pre-existing treatment paradigms for OCD and highlights the potential benefits of Psilocybin assisted psychotherapy in future treatment. She overviews her current study and the theories behind it.      Schizophrenia OCD Psilocybin SSRI               Neuroplasticity The Mushroom Cure Support the Podcast ★ Support this podcast ..read more

In the first of our LIVE Psilocybin Series, David Nutt speaks to Rayyan Zafar a final year PhD student at Imperial College London.  Rayyan discusses his interest of the connection between the mind and the brain and how it led to his research into using psychedelics to treat addiction. Rayyan delves into various behavioural and neurochemical theories into why dependency occurs and highlights neuroimaging studies which indicate these varied reactions. He further goes on to discuss his current research in using psychedelics to treat addiction and why this treatment is proven to be so success ..read more

In this episode, Josh Hardman, the founder of Psychedelic Alpha, explores the multitude of challenges currently being encountered by the psychedelic industry. He engages in discussions regarding the progress of decriminalisation and legalisation initiatives, upcoming clinical trial milestones, and delves into the current state and the potential evolution of the Psychedelic industry.   Psychedelic Alpha MDMA Psilocybin GHB Cannabis DMT Psychoplastogens MAPS COMPASS Pathways NICE Oregon Psilocybin Services ★ Support this podcast ..read more

In this episode, Prof Jo Neill and Dr Hannah Thurgur sit down with Dustin Robinson, the visionary founding partner of Mr. Cannabis Law and a co-founder of Mr. Psychedelics Law. These law firms possess the expertise needed to navigate the intricate and strictly regulated realms of cannabis and psychedelics, addressing a wide range of legal and business challenges within these unique industries. Their discussion covers a range of thought-provoking topics, including US drug policy and reform, the intricate relationship between mental health and these substances, issues around integration of indig ..read more