Professor David Nutt, champion of psychedelic research and drug policy reform, turns 70 today. The Conservative Drug Policy Reform Group (CDPRG) wish him a very many happy returns and would like to take this opportunity to celebrate the transformational force of his commitment to advocating that drug policy should be made on the basis of the best available evidence.
Nutt set up DrugScience, his independent, science-led charity, in 2010, initially launched in collaboration with the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, following his controversial removal as Chair of the Advisory Council of the Misuse of Drugs in October 2009, for spreading evidence-based information, an experience which only served to strengthen his commitment to improving UK drug policy by championing it. DrugScience is an independently funded organisation which produces groundbreaking research into the actual harms and benefits of various psychoactive substances, so that their potential medicinal applications can be better understood, and appropriate policies devised in relation to the reality of their profile of harms.
Nutt’s new book, Nutt Uncut (2021) contains far, far more about the usually hidden world of drugs, their use, abuse and role as a political bargaining counter – making It of interest not just to the many experts and others who already support the author’s campaign for a frank, evidence-based approach to drugs but also anyone who wishes to learn about what he describes in Chapter 11 as ‘more policy madness.’
Demonstrating the manifold ways that lives can be saved and improved when drug policies are based on scientific understanding rather than dogma is a core principle of the CDPRG, and we are thrilled to benefit from his unparalleled expertise to guide our work as one of the members of our Policy Council. Our shared aims include:
Refining cannabis policies to enable the more than a million currently unable to access medicinal cannabis in the UK to source their medicines safely and legally. Explore ProjectTwenty21, where eligible patients can access medical cannabis treatment, monitored by DrugScience. Our Senior Researcher Amber Moore is a member of their Medical Cannabis Working Group, which also aims to redress existing barriers to treatment for the more than a million who need it in the UK.
Rescheduling psilocybin, MDMA and other psychedelics to facilitate research and development of psychedelic-assisted treatments, which show greater promise than existing treatments for a multitude of hard-to-treat conditions. The CDPRG’s Chairman Crispin Blunt, Director of Research Dave King and Psilocybin Rescheduling Project Manager Timmy Davis are part of the DrugScience Medical Psychedelics Working Group, which launched in 2020 to break down medical censorship that has hitherto precluded the UK becoming world-leading in psychedelic medicine.
Demonstrating the magnitude of the social and financial costs to society that result from drug policies which are not made on the basis of evidence, and drawing attention to where research already exists or needs to be conducted to address drug-related harms exacerbated by current policies. Current drug policy creates challenging legal, political and socioeconomic issues that impact multiple disciplines, and DrugScience’s free educational materials provide basic grounding history, law and pharmacology of cannabis, MDMA, psilocybin and DMT.
“Every day I find myself invited to make the argument for a rational, evidence-based approach to drug policy and drug use. As a scientist I find it frustrating that the debate on drugs, both legal and illegal, is coloured by political and moral concerns, and often ignores the evidence. Drug Science continues to emphasise the role of science in the public discourse, providing information on the actual harms of various drugs and challenging the myths that surround drug classification and legislation in the UK.
Our work often challenges perceived wisdom and for that reason can appear to be contentious, but I believe that we must continue to strive for a change in thinking. I’m hopeful of seeing improved public literacy in critical and scientific thinking around drugs. Using evidence in public policy should not be controversial. I am calling on you, our supporters, to support the work that we do. We rely on your donations to provide scientific information on drugs, to provide an evidence-based point of view to the media in an area rife with misinformation and to carry out research that will benefit society.
Thank you for your support, it is critical to helping us continue in our mission to conduct and promote drug science, so that public knowledge can be based on objectivity, reason and evidence.“
-Professor David Nutt
We look forward to the developments in our understanding of the intersection between drug science and policy as we continue to work together for evidence-based drug policy for the betterment of public health.
Check out the fantastic DrugScience podcast hosted by Professor Nutt, now in its third season! Here, he hosts our Chairman Crispin Blunt for a conversation on racism in drug policing, rescheduling psychedelics, how they both got into drug policy and more.