DrugScience

Last updated

DrugScience
Formation15 January 2010;14 years ago (2010-01-15)
Chief Executive Officer
David Badcock [1]
Key people
 Barry Everitt, David Nutt
Website www.drugscience.org.uk
Formerly called
Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs (ISCD)

DrugScience or Drug Science (originally called the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs (ISCD)) is a UK-based drugs advisory committee proposed and initially funded by hedge fund manager Toby Jackson. [2] [3] It is chaired by Professor David Nutt and was officially launched on 15 January 2010 with the help of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies. The primary aim of the committee is to review and investigate the scientific evidence of drug harms without the political interference that could result from government affiliation. [2] [4] [5] [6]

Contents

The establishment of the committee followed the controversial sacking of Professor Nutt, on 30 October 2009 as chair of the UK's statutory Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs by UK Home Secretary, Alan Johnson after the Equasy controversy. [7] [8] The controversy followed his Eve Saville Memorial Lecture (2009) at the Centre. [9]

DrugScience initially focused on reviewing official risk estimates for psychedelic drugs, ecstasy and cannabis, and increasing warnings of the dangers of ketamine. [3] In 2013, DrugScience launched the peer-review academic journal Drug Science, Policy and Law [10] published by SAGE. They currently have three working groups Medical Cannabis, [11] Medical Psychedelics, [12] and Enhanced Harm Reduction. [13]

Drug harm comparison

In 2010, DrugScience published a ranking of drug harms in the UK, the results of which garnered significant media attention. [14] [15] [16] [17] Drugs were assessed on two metrics – harm to users and harms to society. The report found heroin, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine to be the most harmful drugs to individuals, with alcohol, heroin, and crack cocaine as the most harmful to others. Overall, alcohol was the most harmful drug, with heroin and crack cocaine in second and third place. Most notably, the report stated that the legal status of most drugs bears little relation to the harms associated with them – several class A drugs including ecstasy (MDMA), LSD and magic mushrooms featured at the very bottom of the list. Similar findings were found by a Europe-wide study conducted by 40 drug experts in 2015. [18] Since then, drug ranking by total harm research has come to the same conclusion. [19] [20]

A ranking of common recreational drugs in the UK - assessed by harm to user and harm to society. Alcohol, heroin and crack cocaine are the three most harmful drugs Drugscience-harm-ranking.jpg
A ranking of common recreational drugs in the UK – assessed by harm to user and harm to society. Alcohol, heroin and crack cocaine are the three most harmful drugs

Methods used in drug harm comparison

The results of the study were based on the opinions and judgment of 15 researchers, doctors, and a journalist. These opinions were exchanged and discussed during a 1-day workshop in accordance with a decision-making procedure called Multi-Criteria-Decision-Making-Analysis (MCDA). [6] This procedure attempts to structure the debate so as to eliminate biases, but given that it has no input other than the experience and knowledge of the participants involved, it is unlikely to be unbiased if the participants share a similar understanding of a subject, or if the science in the field is inadequate to make a good judgment.

E-cigarette analysis

Using a similar multi-criteria decision analysis process as the 2010 drug harm ranking, DrugScience looked to rank the harms of all nicotine-containing products, including cigarettes, cigars, nicotine patches and e-cigarettes. The report concluded that e-cigarettes are 95% less harmful than conventional cigarettes, advice which was subsequently used in a report [21] by Public Health England on e-cigarettes and now forms part of the evidence-base for the positions of the UK Government [22] and the National Health Service. This figure was widely reported on in the press, [23] [24] but remains controversial as the long-term harms of e-cigarettes remain unknown. More recent systematic reviews suggest that e-cigarettes are considerably less harmful than cigarettes, but that the difference may be smaller than previously estimated.[ citation needed ]

A multi-criteria decision analysis ranking of nicotine-containing product harm. Cigarettes and cigars are the most harmful by a considerable degree, with e-cigarettes some 95% less harmful than cigarettes. Nicotineharm.png
A multi-criteria decision analysis ranking of nicotine-containing product harm. Cigarettes and cigars are the most harmful by a considerable degree, with e-cigarettes some 95% less harmful than cigarettes.

Drugs Live

Drugs Live: the ecstasy trial is a two-part TV documentary aired on Channel 4 on the 26 and 27 September 2012. The program showed an fMRI study on the effects of MDMA (ecstasy) on the brain, which was funded by Channel 4. The main researchers on the study were DrugScience's Val Curran and David Nutt who also appeared as guests on the show. Curran and Nutt oversaw research at Imperial College London, in which volunteers took part in a double blind study, taking either 83 mg of MDMA or a placebo before going into the fMRI scanner.

The documentary was presented by Christian Jessen and Jon Snow, and included debate on the harms of MDMA, as well as exhibiting the findings of the study. Some participants in the study also appeared on the show, including a vicar, an ex-soldier, writer Lionel Shriver, actor Keith Allen and former Liberal Democrat MP Evan Harris.

Nutt and colleagues have said they are preparing to run the UK's first clinical trial of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of PTSD, based on the research from the study. [25]

DrugScience publications

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MDMA</span> Psychoactive drug, often called ecstasy

3,4-Methyl​enedioxy​methamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy, and molly, is a potent empathogen–entactogen with stimulant and minor psychedelic properties. In studies, it has been used alongside psychotherapy in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and social anxiety in autism spectrum disorder. The purported pharmacological effects that may be prosocial include altered sensations, increased energy, empathy, and pleasure. When taken by mouth, effects begin in 30 to 45 minutes and last three to six hours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Recreational drug use</span> Use of drugs with the primary intention to alter the state of consciousness

Recreational drug use is the use of one or more psychoactive drugs to induce an altered state of consciousness, either for pleasure or for some other casual purpose or pastime. When a psychoactive drug enters the user's body, it induces an intoxicating effect. Recreational drugs are commonly divided into three categories: depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Substance abuse</span> Harmful use of drugs

Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods that are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder. Differing definitions of drug abuse are used in public health, medical, and criminal justice contexts. In some cases, criminal or anti-social behavior occurs when the person is under the influence of a drug, and long-term personality changes in individuals may also occur. In addition to possible physical, social, and psychological harm, the use of some drugs may also lead to criminal penalties, although these vary widely depending on the local jurisdiction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Club drug</span> Category of recreational drugs

Club drugs, also called rave drugs or party drugs, are a loosely defined category of recreational drugs which are associated with discothèques in the 1970s and nightclubs, dance clubs, electronic dance music (EDM) parties, and raves in the 1980s to today. Unlike many other categories, such as opiates and benzodiazepines, which are established according to pharmaceutical or chemical properties, club drugs are a "category of convenience", in which drugs are included due to the locations they are consumed and/or where the user goes while under the influence of the drugs. Club drugs are generally used by adolescents and young adults.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Misuse of Drugs Act 1971</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It represents action in line with treaty commitments under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.

Commonly-cited arguments for and against the prohibition of drugs include the following:

The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) is an American nonprofit organization working to raise awareness and understanding of psychedelic substances. MAPS was founded in 1986 by Rick Doblin and is now based in San Jose, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heffter Research Institute</span> Nonprofit organization

The Heffter Research Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes research with classic hallucinogens and psychedelics, predominantly psilocybin, to contribute to a greater understanding of the mind and to alleviate suffering. Founded in 1993 as a virtual institute, Heffter primarily funds academic and clinical scientists and made more than $3.1 million in grants between 2011 and 2014. Heffter's recent clinical studies have focused on psilocybin-assisted treatment for end-of-life anxiety and depression in cancer patients, as well as alcohol and nicotine addiction.

The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is a British statutory advisory non-departmental public body, which was established under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

Lacing or cutting, in drug culture, refer to the act of using a substance to adulterate substances independent of the reason. The resulting substance is laced or cut.

The Beckley Foundation is a UK-based think tank and UN-accredited NGO, dedicated to activating global drug policy reform and initiating scientific research into psychoactive substances. The foundation is a charitable trust which collaborates with leading scientific and political institutions worldwide to design and develop research and global policy initiatives. It also investigates consciousness and its modulation from a multidisciplinary perspective, working in collaboration with scientists. The foundation is based at Beckley Park near Oxford, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1998, and is directed by Amanda Feilding, Countess of Wemyss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4-Methylthioamphetamine</span> Chemical compound

4-Methylthioamphetamine (4-MTA) is a designer drug of the substituted amphetamine class developed in the 1990s by a team led by David E. Nichols, an American pharmacologist and medical chemist, at Purdue University. It acts as a non-neurotoxic highly selective serotonin releasing agent (SSRA) in animals. 4-MTA is the methylthio derivative of amphetamine.

Sex and drugs refers to the influence of substances on sexual function and experience. Sex and drugs date back to ancient humans and have been interlocked throughout human history. Sexual performance is known as the execution of the act of sex and the quality of sexual activity. This includes elements such as libido, sexual function, sensation . Drugs are termed as any chemical substance that produces a physiological and or psychological change in an organism. Drugs categorized as psychoactive drugs, antihypertensive drugs, antihistamines, cancer treatment, and hormone medication have a significant impact on sexual performance. Various drugs result in different effects, both positive and negative. Negative effects may include low libido, erection issues, vaginal dryness and anorgasmia. Positive effects usually address these issues, overall enhancing sexual performance and contributing to a more enjoyable sexual experience. It is crucial to know that the impact of drugs on sexual performance varies among individuals, especially among different genders.

Drug classification: making a hash of it? is a 2006 report written by the UK Science and Technology Select Committee and submitted to the British House of Commons. The report suggested that the current system of recreational drug classification in the UK was arbitrary and unscientific, suggesting a more scientific measure of harm be used for classifying drugs. The report also strongly criticised the decision to place fresh psychedelic mushrooms in Class A, the same category as cocaine and heroin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mephedrone</span> Synthetic stimulant drug

Mephedrone, also known as 4-methylmethcathinone, 4-MMC, and 4-methylephedrone, is a synthetic stimulant drug of the amphetamine and cathinone classes. Slang names include drone, M-CAT, White Magic, meow meow and bubble. It is chemically similar to the cathinone compounds found in the Khat plant of eastern Africa. It comes in the form of tablets or crystals, which users can swallow, snort or inject, producing effects similar to those of MDMA, amphetamines and cocaine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Nutt</span> English neuropsychopharmacologist

David John Nutt is an English neuropsychopharmacologist specialising in the research of drugs that affect the brain and conditions such as addiction, anxiety, and sleep. He is the chairman of Drug Science, a non-profit which he founded in 2010 to provide independent, evidence-based information on drugs. Until 2009, he was a professor at the University of Bristol heading their Psychopharmacology Unit. Since then he has been the Edmond J Safra chair in Neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London and director of the Neuropsychopharmacology Unit in the Division of Brain Sciences there. Nutt was a member of the Committee on Safety of Medicines, and was President of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Passive drinking</span>

Passive drinking, analogous to passive smoking, refers to the adverse consequences experienced by those around someone who is experiencing alcohol intoxication. These include the unborn fetus and children of parents who drink excessively, drunk drivers, accidents, domestic violence and alcohol-related sexual assaults.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psychoactive drug</span> Chemical substance that alters nervous system function

A psychoactive drug, mind-altering drug, or consciousness-altering drug is a chemical substance that changes brain function and results in alterations in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, or behavior. The term psychotropic drug is often used interchangeably, while some sources present narrower definitions. These substances may be used medically; recreationally; to purposefully improve performance or alter one's consciousness; as entheogens for ritual, spiritual, or shamanic purposes; or for research, including psychedelic therapy. Some categories of psychoactive drugs, which have therapeutic value, are prescribed by physicians and other healthcare practitioners. Examples include anesthetics, analgesics, anticonvulsant and antiparkinsonian drugs as well as medications used to treat neuropsychiatric disorders, such as antidepressants, anxiolytics, antipsychotics, and stimulant medications. Some psychoactive substances may be used in the detoxification and rehabilitation programs for persons dependent on or addicted to other psychoactive drugs.

Ketamine has had a wide variety of medicinal and recreational uses since its discovery in 1962.

The chemical constituents of different types of snus vary, and population-level studies suggest that the disease risks vary as well. Using snus is harmful to health, although much less than smoking tobacco.

References

  1. ↑ "Drug Science Team".
  2. 1 2 Sacked scientist promises impartial drugs advice The New Scientist , January 2010
  3. 1 2 Jack, Andrew (16 January 2010). "Hedge fund chief backs drugs panel". Financial Times . Archived from the original on 12 July 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  4. ↑ David Nutt (15 January 2010). "The best scientific advice on drugs". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  5. ↑ http://www.drugscience.org.uk/ Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs Homepage
  6. 1 2 Nutt, D. J.; King, L. A.; Phillips, L. D. (2010). "Drug harms in the UK: a multicriteria decision analysis". The Lancet. 376 (9752): 1558–1565. CiteSeerX   10.1.1.690.1283 . doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61462-6. PMID   21036393. S2CID   5667719.
  7. ↑ Nutt, D. (2008). "Equasy – an overlooked addiction with implications for the current debate on drug harms". Journal of Psychopharmacology. 23 (1): 3–5. doi:10.1177/0269881108099672. PMID   19158127. S2CID   32034780.
  8. ↑ "Support the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs". The center for crime and justice studies. 15 January 2010. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
  9. ↑ http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/tls/tls_20120918-0930a.mp3 David Nutt on The Life Scientific with Jim Al-Khalili, September 2012, BBC Radio 4
  10. ↑ Editorial. "SAGE & Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs launch new journal Drug Science, Policy and Law (August 1, 2013)". STM Publishing News. STM Publishing News. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  11. ↑ "Medical Cannabis Working Group".
  12. ↑ "Medical Psychedelics Working Group".
  13. ↑ "Enhanced Harm Reduction Working Group".
  14. ↑ "Study compares drug harms". nhs.uk. November 2010. Archived from the original on 5 January 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  15. ↑ "Alcohol 'harms more than heroin'". BBC News. 1 November 2010. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  16. ↑ "Scoring drugs". The Economist. 2 November 2010. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  17. ↑ Boseley, Sarah (1 November 2010). "Alcohol 'more harmful than heroin or crack'". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  18. ↑ van Amsterdam, Jan; Nutt, David; Phillips, Lawrence; van den Brink, Wim (June 2015). "European rating of drug harms". Journal of Psychopharmacology. 29 (6): 655–660. doi:10.1177/0269881115581980. ISSN   0269-8811. PMID   25922421. S2CID   21969507 . Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  19. ↑ Bonomo, Yvonne; Norman, Amanda; Biondo, Sam; Bruno, Raimondo; Daglish, Mark; Dawe, Sharon; Egerton-Warburton, Diana; Karro, Jonathan; Kim, Charles; Lenton, Simon; Lubman, Dan I; Pastor, Adam; Rundle, Jill; Ryan, John; Gordon, Paul; Sharry, Patrick; Nutt, David; Castle, David (July 2019). "The Australian drug harms ranking study". Journal of Psychopharmacology. 33 (7): 759–768. doi:10.1177/0269881119841569. ISSN   0269-8811. PMID   31081439. S2CID   153308637 . Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  20. ↑ Bonnet, Udo; Specka, Michael; Soyka, Michael; Alberti, Thomas; Bender, Stefan; Grigoleit, Torsten; Hermle, Leopold; Hilger, Jörg; Hillemacher, Thomas; Kuhlmann, Thomas; Kuhn, Jens; Luckhaus, Christian; Lüdecke, Christel; Reimer, Jens; Schneider, Udo; Schroeder, Welf; Stuppe, Markus; Wiesbeck, Gerhard A.; Wodarz, Norbert; McAnally, Heath; Scherbaum, Norbert (2020). "Ranking the Harm of Psychoactive Drugs Including Prescription Analgesics to Users and Others–A Perspective of German Addiction Medicine Experts". Frontiers in Psychiatry. 11: 592199. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.592199 . ISSN   1664-0640. PMC   7649209 . PMID   33192740.
  21. ↑ "Public Health England e-cigarette update" (PDF). n.d.
  22. ↑ "E-cigarettes around 95% less harmful than tobacco estimates landmark review". Government of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  23. ↑ "E-cigarettes are 95 percent less harmful than tobacco: UK study". Reuters. 18 August 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  24. ↑ Roberts, Michelle (28 April 2016). "Give e-cigs to smokers, say doctors". BBC News. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  25. ↑ "Drugs Live: The Ecstasy Trial. Presenting original research on Channel 4: Scientific progress, and a televisual first". The Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs. 27 October 2013. Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2014.

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