Date of Webinar: 1st July 2025.
To view the recording please click on the following link. You will then be asked to login to the Member site to continue. These recording are only available to Members of Crime In Mind.
To apply for Membership please visit https://www.crimeinmind.co.uk/join-crime-in-mind/ or contact administrator@crimeinmind.co.uk.
Summary:
In this webinar we explored how scientific research may help to improve the effectiveness and reduce the unintended side effects of contemporary drug policies and suggest some rational ways in which neuroscience may better assist in policy decisions. We covered the impact of current drug policy on psychiatric practice, the legacies of the laws, and suggestions for changing policy. We included a discussion surrounding psychedelic drugs, ecstasy, novel psychoactive drugs, and cannabis as well as research on psychedelic drugs which could revolutionise the treatment of some psychiatric disorders.
Objectives:
- Appreciation of how policy influences treatment and research into psychiatric disorders.
- Discussion as to how science can promote policies relating to public health.
- Understanding of the negative effects and unforeseen consequences of policies especially into treatment and research of psychiatric disorders.
- Understanding of why the Misuse of Drugs Act is not fit for purpose because the society, technology, production and patterns of drug use have changed since it was enacted.
Session Outline:
The session was chaired by Professor Ilana Crome.
Professor David Nutt briefly outlined the relationship of harms caused by drugs and UK drug laws, and impact on drug use and drug policy followed by Dr Anne Schlag’s description of a recent study – T21 – on the effectiveness of medicinal cannabis in the UK.
David concluded the session with a discussion about the developments in the use of psychedelic drugs as a treatment for psychiatric disorders.