The Drug Science Podcast

Join us in this episode of the Drug Science Podcast as Prof Jo Neill speaks with David Orren, CEO of GABA Labs, which has pioneered functional drinks with SENTIA Spirits. David recounts his initial communication with David Nutt and emphasises their shared mission to speak to younger generations’ desires for less harmful alternatives to alcohol. He touches on the neurological underpinnings of the drink and explores the future for the company as it expands and partners with other drink producers.GABA Labs SENTIA Spirits Alcohol Background on GABA Scientific Overview of Functional Drinks  ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, we speak to Dr Lauren Macdonald, a psychiatrist, psychedelic therapist, and group retreat facilitator. She details her path to psychedelics, in particular her cancer diagnosis that left her with existential dread that she felt fully dissipate only after a psychedelic experience. She goes on to discuss her interest in group retreats and treating existential distress. Before closing, she explains problems with the current medical model in the UK and where psychedelics fit. LINK TO THE 2026 RETURNING TO WHOLENESS RETREAT Links Psilocybin Imperial Centre for Psychedelic Research Essence Medicine ...

Join us in this episode as Prof Nutt speaks to Prof Mark Solms, a leading expert on Freud and author of the new book The Only Cure. Mark details his early fascination with neuropsychology that led him to study the neurological underpinnings of sleep and dreams. He explains how some of his own research lent more credence to Freud’s claims and deepened his interest in psychoanalysis. Mark concludes by discussing what the only cure symbolizes: talking therapies that address the root causes of psychopathology, as opposed to treatments that mask the symptoms. Links●...

Join us in this episode as we speak to Dr Harriet de Witt, professor of psychiatry and neuropharmacology at the University of Chicago. She shares how she fell in love with the field, studying the animal model of self-administration, and how that work fed into her later research with human participants. As a leading expert on the pharmacology of MDMA, she explores the subtle differences between amphetamine and MDMA, before talking about the results from both her MDMA and LSD studies. Links●      UChicago Profile●      Amphetamine●      MDMA●      LSD●      MDMA/Amph...

Join us in this episode as we speak to Dr. Rachel Andrews, an addiction and harm reduction researcher at the University of Bath, and Hannah Dawes, a PSHE teacher and the creator of the podcast The Exchange. The conversation focuses on the prevalence of vaping in schools, particularly exploring the ways in which vapes have been marketed to children and the patterns of use in schools. Rachel provides data from her team’s analysis of that shows what’s really in the vapes students are using, while Hannah lends her perspective within schools, explaining how a supportive approach to stud...

In this episode of the Drug Science Podcast, Prof Nutt speaks with Erica Rex, author of the book Seeing What is There, which explores the complex history of psychedelic therapy. She shares her own experiences with psychedelic-assisted therapy, while providing context on the guardrails that are necessary for these treatments to maximize benefits and minimize harms. Viewing psychedelics as therapeutic accelerants, Erica speaks on the current state of mental health treatments and explores how complex trauma and other mental health problems could be better treated.Erica Instagram Erica Substack  Links●      Seeing...

In this episode, we’re joined by Justin Smith-Ruiu, a philosopher at Université Paris Cité and the author of On Drugs. He discusses his motivations behind the book, rooted in his early experiences with psychedelics and the many cultural roles he has seen them play across different contexts. As the conversation unfolds, Smith-Ruiu reflects on his decision to quit drinking in favor of psychedelics and the profound positive changes that choice has brought to his life. LinksJustin Smith-RuiuOn DrugsPsilocybin ★ Support this podcast ★

Join us in this episode as we talk to Robert Schoevers, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Groningen and one of the pioneers of psychedelic-assisted therapy. He explains why human complexity led him to psychiatry, begoring discussing how his early psychedelic research into esketamine aimed to meet the unmet needs of treatment-resistant patients. Schoevers goes on to explore the ways in which his approach to ketamine-assisted therapy has transitioned over time and has led him to lead bigger projects, like the EU-funded palliative care project, PsyPal. LinksProfileKetamine</p...

Join us in this episode as we speak with Emma Robinson, a professor of psychopharmacology at the University of Bristol with extensive experience in animal research. She unpacks the regulations surrounding animal research, offering a scientist’s view on animal rights activism, ethical tension, and why this work remains essential. Robinson also delves into the emerging intersection of psychedelics and animal research, describing how these substances are studied and how they might help reshape mental illness. Professor Emma RobinsonUK Government’s Roadmap to Ending Animal TestingPETA ConfrontationCognitive and affective models of psychedelics in rodentsPsilocybinKetamineBritish Neuroscience lecture with...

In this episode of the Drug Science Podcast, we talk to Simon Doherty, a journalist and content creator with a focus on harm reduction. He explores how reporting on electronic music and rave culture naturally led to his work on harm reduction. He goes on to dissect Talk to Frank and its flaws in providing accurate, evidence-based information. Finally, by comparing the unique landscape of free parties to the regulated club scene, Doherty discusses why and how clubs avoid common sense harm reduction techniques, endangering clubgoers. LinksSimon’s TikTokInvestigating Talk to FrankCalling FrankThe Loo...

Join us in this episode as we talk to Prof Sara Tai, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Manchester and an NHS consultant clinical psychologist. Sara’s research is grounded in biopsychosocial frameworks, with a focus on understanding the mechanisms of change that underpin effective psychological therapies. She has extensive experience delivering therapy, and training other clinicians to deliver interventions with individuals, families, and young people across diverse settings, including acute in-patient units, community mental health services, and schools.For many years, Sara has been at the forefront of research into psychedelic-assisted the...

In this episode, we speak with Adam Zmith, podcast producer, writer, and author of Deep Sniff: A History of Poppers and Queer Futures. He describes his motivation behind writing the book, all before diving into the complex history of poppers. By speaking to the policing and regulation of poppers, Zmith explores broader struggles between the queer community and the government, in addition to the necessity for greater harm reduction for poppers. Despite these struggles, he underscores the ways in which queer culture has been shaped by poppers and how, in return, poppers have been shaped by queer culture.<...

Join us in this episode as Prof Nutt speaks to John, Joanne, and Ryan of the Scottish Ambulance Service in Glasgow. They explore their backgrounds in the Service and how their work exposed them to challenging situations that caused severe detriment to their mental health. After describing the failings of traditional mental health support for emergency workers, they tell their story of travelling to Peru for an ayahuasca retreat, an eye-opening and profoundly heartening experience. LinksScottish Ambulance ServicesAyahuascaHeroic Hearts Project UKThe Shipibo</p...

In this episode of the Drug Science podcast, we speak to Dr Andy Letcher, a religious scholar and author of the book Shroom: the Cultural History of the Magic Mushroom. He explores his complimentary background in science and the humanities, depicting how this combination structured his thinking. Noting the religious potential of psychedelic experiences, Letcher links the spiritual with the psychedelic, explaining what he sought to capture in his book and where it has gone since. Finally, he discusses how his interest in transdisciplinary perspectives on psychedelics has coalesced in the University of Exeter’s psychedelic postgraduate courses....

Tune into the latest episode of the Drug Science Podcast, where we talk to Jenny Chapman and Dr. Stephen Naulls, researchers at the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) and authors of ‘Psychedelic-assisted therapy for mental health: Policy considerations, a briefing for Parliament’ on the state of psychedelic research. They explore the remit of POST in highlighting objective, emerging scientific research, and how psychedelics have come into their focus. With backgrounds in biology and medicine, both Jenny and Stephen stress the interwoven nature of science and policy. Through this intersection, they highlight the policy levers holding psychedelic researchers back...

In this episode of the Drug Science Podcast, we speak with Darren Le Baron, an accomplished mycologist and educator. He discusses how his hardships from his upbringing in East London have informed his current work, where he uses horticulture to connect with children at risk of being drawn into crime. He transitions to explore his series Psychedelics in Africa, explaining some of the many links between psychedelics and African culture, both in ancient times and modernity. Throughout, he emphasises the importance of African perspectives and similar indigenous ones, challenging their absence in mainstream psychedelic discourse. L...

Join us in this episode as we speak to Bruce Parry, the creator and star of the BBC series Tribe With Bruce Parry. He explains his sharp career change from a Royal Marine to an advocate for indigenous rights, where he’s developed a humble approach to learning from indigenous tribes, defined by listening and witnessing. He talks about his experiences of psychedelics in these contexts, namely ayahuasca, which have vastly shaped his outlook on life. Through this lens, he lends his opinions on topics like ayahuasca tourism and capitalist culture in the psychedelic space.Tribe with Br...

In this episode of the Drug Science Podcast, we speak with Sam Bloomfield, founder of PsyEdu, and Dr. Eddie Jacobs, the first person to complete a doctorate in psychedelic ethics. Drawing on their backgrounds in education and ethics, they explore why these perspectives are essential to the evolving field of psychedelics. They also discuss the role of trials, clinics, and retreats within the broader psychedelic ecosystem, highlighting a major blind spot: the vast majority of psychedelic experiences occur outside of these settings. The conversation additionally examines how understandings of medicine often must adapt to the unique nature of psychedelics...

In this episode of the Drug Science Podcast, we meet with Dr. Joe Tafur, MD, an integrative Family Physician, curandero, author and speaker. He discusses his book, The Fellowship of the River, exploring the role of spiritual healing in modern healthcare. Within this episode. Tafur further delves into topics such as biological and psychological links to Generational trauma as well as the relationship between spiritual practice and healing.  Dr Joe TafurModern SpiritMedicine SongFellowship of the riverIntro into Therapeutic psychedelicsDepression...

In this episode of the drug science Podcast, we meet with Mike Jay, author and 2024 Cheiron Book Prize winner who has written extensively on scientific and medical history with a special interest in Psychedelics. In this Podcast, he discusses with us his newest book, Free Radicals: How a Group of Romantic Experimenters Gave Birth to Psychedelic Science, which tells the story of early invention and experimentation with Nitrous Oxide (Laughing gas). He discusses various key figures at this time and the work they conducted, including Humphry Davy and Thomas Beddoes as well as discussing early theories into t...