Addiction Audio

In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr Eve Taylor, a research fellow at University College London, UK. The interview covers Eve’s research article looking at smoking and drinking among the Gypsy and Traveller communities in England.The Gypsy and Traveller community in the UK [01:24]The importance of studying this community with regards to smoking and drinking [02:28]The underrepresentation of the Gypsy and Traveller communities in national data [03:27] The Smoking Toolkit study [03:59]How the Smoking Toolkit study addresses limitations found in previous studies [04:55]The key findings from the study: smoking [05:44]The key findings from the study: drinking [06:17]The key findings from the study: smoking and drinking interaction [07:23]Whether the findings were expected [08:00]The implications of the findings [09:38]Examples of good practice within the community [12:40]The stark difference in the smoking rates between ethnicities in England [14:00]The take home messages from the study [14:39]About Elle Wadsworth: Elle is an academic fellow with the Society for the Study of Addiction. She is based at the University of Bath with the Addiction and Mental Health Group and her research interests include drug policy, cannabis legalisation, and public health. About Eve Taylor: Eve is a Research Fellow at University College London, specialising in tobacco and nicotine research. Her research uses methods ranging from biomarker collection to population-level survey analysis with the aim of supporting harm reduction and reducing health inequalities associated with tobacco and nicotine use. Eve’s current work focuses on barriers and facilitators to cessation support among people who use non-cigarette tobacco, with a focus on inequality among minority ethnic communities. Eve has no conflicts of interest to declare.Original article: Smoking and drinking among the Gypsy and Traveller communities: A population study in England https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70330The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Tsen Vei Lim talks to Dr Jonas Dora, an Acting Assistant Professor at the University of Washington, US. The interview covers Jonas’ article examining how people decide to consume alcohol when feeling stressed.Why Jonas wanted to study the “tension reduction hypothesis” [01:18]The gaps in literature that led to the study [01:58]The importance of understanding the nuance of the “tension reduction hypothesis” [03:50]How Jonas approached the research question [04:40]Speculation of the factors that influence the continuation of drinking alcohol [08:16]The participants of the study [10:35]Whether those with an alcohol use disorder would behave differently in the experiment [07:17]How we can build on Jonas’ findings for future research [13:20]The next steps for Jonas [15:55]The tension reduction hypothesis is the idea that people consume alcohol to alleviate aversive states of psychological stress and negative emotions. About Tsen Vei Lim: Tsen Vei is an academic fellow supported by the Society for the Study of Addiction, currently based at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge. His research integrates computational modelling, experimental psychology, and neuroimaging to understand the neuropsychological basis of addictive behaviours. He holds a PhD in Psychiatry from the University of Cambridge (UK) and a BSc in Psychology from the University of Bath (UK). About Jonas Dora: Jonas is an Acting Assistant Professor at the University of Washington. Most of his recent work is focused on understanding the affect regulation function of alcohol use, and the contribution of this function to the etiology of alcohol use disorders. He approaches this topic with a combination of experimental and intensive longitudinal research designs.Original article: How people decide to consume (more) alcohol when feeling stressed https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70213The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information.Music provided by Jack Shakespeare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Tsen Vei Lim talks to Caitlin McClure-Thomas, a PhD Candidate at the National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, the University of Queensland, Australia. The interview covers Caitlin’s systematic review and meta-analysis of self-reported exposure to cannabis advertising and its association with cannabis use and intentions.The different forms of cannabis advertisements available [1:33]Legal framework surrounding cannabis advertisements [03:10]The hidden risks and harms of advertising cannabis [04:57]The importance of studying the relationship between cannabis advertisements and cannabis use [05:57]The key findings of the study [07:17]Whether the relationship differs between different forms of advertisements [09:30]Advertisements and attitudes towards cannabis [11:24] The implications of the findings for policy [13:00]Regulating social media advertising [15:00] The next steps in cannabis advertising research [16:39]About Tsen Vei Lim: Tsen Vei is an academic fellow supported by the Society for the Study of Addiction, currently based at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge. His research integrates computational modelling, experimental psychology, and neuroimaging to understand the neuropsychological basis of addictive behaviours. He holds a PhD in Psychiatry from the University of Cambridge (UK) and a BSc in Psychology from the University of Bath (UK). About Caitlin McClure-Thomas: Caitlin is a PhD candidate at The University of Queensland’s National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research. Her research explores how cannabis messaging shapes people’s attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours. She examines how exposure to cannabis promotions, including advertising and broader media messaging is associated with cannabis use and intentions. Through systematic reviews and empirical research, Caitlin aims to better understand the public health implications of cannabis communication in a rapidly changing policy landscape. Her work seeks to inform evidence-based approaches to harm reduction and contribute to discussions about cannabis regulation.Original article: A systematic review and meta-analysis of self-reported exposure to cannabis advertising and its association with cannabis use and intentions https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70310The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information.Music provided by Jack Shakespeare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Chloe Burke talks to Dr Monserrat Conde, a researcher at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Sciences, University of Oxford, UK. The interview covers a short report on the results of a consultation exercise creating recommendations for future research exploring e-cigarette use and later cigarette smoking in young people.The background of work on e-cigarettes that led to this current study [1:06]The evidence and gap map [03:14]Monserrat’s iterative approach to set up the consultation exercise [04:49]A surprising aspect from the stakeholder engagement [06:41]The lessons learned from integrating existing research with stakeholder engagement [09:03]Discussing two of the 23 final recommendations [11:27]The take home message of the study [13:41]About Chloe Burke: Chloe is a Senior Research Associate in Evidence Synthesis based in the Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol. Her current role applies evidence synthesis methodologies (e.g. network meta-analysis) to health-related topics, including addiction. She has a background in psychiatric epidemiology with a focus on applying causal inference methods (e.g. Mendelian randomization) to the topic of substance use and mental health. She holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Bath, which investigated the co-use of cannabis and tobacco and depression risk. She is currently co-chair of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco Genetics and Omics Network.About Monserrat Conde: Monserrat (BSc, PgDip, MSc, PhD) is an interdisciplinary researcher at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford, where she currently focuses on evidence synthesis, implementation research and knowledge mobilisation. The study discussed in this episode was funded by Cancer Research UK. The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. Original article: Recommendations for future research exploring e-cigarette use and later cigarette smoking in young people: Results from a consultation exercise https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70038The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Professor Jonathan Brett, a senior consultant at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, clinical director of the Psychiatry and Non-Prescription Drug and Alcohol Unit, and a clinical toxicologist with the New South Wales Poison’s Information Centre, Australia. The interview covers Jonathan’s research article looking at psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for methamphetamine use disorder: A pilot open-label safety and feasibility studyPsilocybin and what psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy looks like [01:20]Why look at methamphetamine use disorder? [04:38]Why is psilocybin promising for methamphetamine use disorder? [06:21]Explaining the single-arm open label pilot trial [09:35]The key findings of the study [10:54]The efficacy of psilocybin for methamphetamine use disorder treatment [12:12]The implications of the findings for policy and practice [14:50]The increased interest in psychedelics and a note of caution [17:03]About Elle Wadsworth: Elle is an academic fellow with the Society for the Study of Addiction. She is based at the University of Bath with the Addiction and Mental Health Group and her research interests include drug policy, cannabis legalisation, and public health. About Jonathan Brett: Jonathan is a senior consultant in clinical toxicology and addiction medicine at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, clinical director of the Psychiatry and Non-Prescription Drug and Alcohol Unit and a clinical toxicologist with the New South Wales Poison’s Information Centre. He has fellowships with the Royal Australian College of Physicians in clinical pharmacology, toxicology and addiction medicine. He is a conjoint Professor with St. Vincent’s Clinical School, University of New South Wales (UNSW) and a Senior National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Research Fellow with the Medicines Policy Unit of Centre for Big Data Research in Health, UNSW. He is president elect of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians College of Addiction Medicine. He was chief investigator on a pilot study of psilocybin facilitated psychotherapy (PP) for methamphetamine use disorder (MAUD), the first PP study of addiction in Australia and the first for MAUD worldwide. He is also chief investigator on a trial of PP for treatment resistant depression and chief medical advisor for a study of psilocybin microdosing for depression.Original article: Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for methamphetamine use disorder: A pilot open-label safety and feasibility study. Doi: 10.1111/add.70187 The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Tsen Vei Lim speaks to Lucy Loch, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Psychology at the University of Michigan, US. The interview covers Lucy’s research article on ultra-processed food addiction in a nationally representative sample of older adults in the US.What are ultra-processed foods? [01:18]Ultra-processed food addiction and its relation to other behavioural addictions [02:12]The addictive features of ultra-processed food [03:01]The relationship between ultra-processed foods and obesity [03:50]The motivation for the study [04:37]The key findings of the study [05:24]Socioeconomic inequality as a potential predictor for ultra-processed food addiction [06:49]Should we avoid ultra-processed foods? [07:20]The main takeaways from the findings [08:35]Suggestions for policymakers to regulate ultra-processed foods [10:56]The clinical recognition of ultra-processed food addiction as an addiction [11:54]The next steps in Lucy’s research [12:22]About Tsen Vei Lim: Tsen Vei is an academic fellow supported by the Society for the Study of Addiction, currently based at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge. His research integrates computational modelling, experimental psychology, and neuroimaging to understand the neuropsychological basis of addictive behaviours. He holds a PhD in Psychiatry from the University of Cambridge (UK) and a BSc in Psychology from the University of Bath (UK). About Lucy Loch: Lucy is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Psychology at the University of Michigan (US), mentored by Dr. Ashley Gearhardt and Dr. Julie Lumeng. Her research examines the life course development of addictive-like eating, focusing on how early experiences and exposure to ultra-processed foods shape appetite, self-regulation, and risk of later life health outcomes. Supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, she integrates developmental and addiction science to understand vulnerability to addictive-like eating. Her work has been published in Addiction, Current Obesity Reports, and Physiology & Behavior.Original article: Ultra-processed food addiction in a nationally representative sample of older adults in the USA https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70186The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Annika Theodoulou speaks to Professor Jonathan Bricker, a Professor of Public Health at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Affiliate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, US. The interview covers Jonathan’s research article covering intersectionality in cigarette smoking cessation using a latent class analysis to predict 12-month cessation in a randomized controlled trial.Intersectionality and why it is important to explore in smoking cessation [01:19]Six factors that are well-known predictors of smoking [03:20]The aim of a latent class analysis [04:55]The key findings of the study [07:09]The differences found between smartphone apps used in the trial [11:02]The implications of the findings for policy and practice [14:49]About Annika Theodoulou: Annika is a researcher at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford. Her work focuses on health behaviours, including smoking cessation and weight management, with an emphasis on evidence synthesis. Annika’s doctoral research, funded by the Society for the Study of Addiction (SSA) and The Rotary Foundation, examined socioeconomic inequalities in smoking cessation behaviours and outcomes using quantitative and qualitative methods. She is an Associate Editor of Nicotine & Tobacco Research. Annika holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences and a Master of Clinical Science from the University of Adelaide.About Jonathan Bricker: Jonathan is an expert in the field of health behavior change interventions. He is a Full Professor of Public Health at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Affiliate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. Dr. Bricker is founder and leader of the Health and Behavioral Innovations in Technology (“HABIT”) Research Group. The HABIT research group focuses on developing and testing innovative theory-based behavioral interventions for tobacco cessation and weight loss, especially those delivered in widely disseminable technology platforms. He and his team have developed a novel health behavior change intervention model based on the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (“ACT”). The principal investigator of over $35 million US dollars in research grants, he has been leading ten NIH R01 randomized trial grants, as well as led or collaborated on multiple other Federal and private research grants. His current grants focus on testing a machine learning natural language processing chatbot for quitting smoking, several smartphone applications for tobacco cessation in the general population, among cancer patients, American Indians & Alaska Natives, Hispanics, and adolescents, and a weight loss telephone coaching program based on ACT. His “iCanQuit” smartphone app based on ACT was proven more effective than a leading National Cancer Institute smartphone app based on the US Clinical Practice Guidelines in a large, randomized trial published in JAMA Internal Medicine. iCanQuit is now publicly available. He has published over 150 peer-reviewed research articles on addictions, behavioral interventions, and technologies. Currently, he serves as a Senior Editor of the journal Addiction.  Original article: Intersectionality in cigarette smoking cessation: A latent class analysis to predict 12-month cessation in a randomized controlled trial https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70185Digital Object Identifier (DOI)The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr Rachel Lees Thorne, a postdoctoral research associate and Professor Tom Freeman, a professor of psychology, both from the Addiction and Mental Health Group at the University of Bath, UK. The interview covers Rachel and Tom’s research article estimating thresholds for risk of cannabis use disorder using standard delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) unitsWhat are standard THC units [01:25]The importance of using THC units to estimate thresholds for risk of cannabis use disorder [02:59]How people who use cannabis can use standard THC units [03:46] The CannTeen study [04:51]Why the authors focused on adolescents and adults rather than young adults [06:02]The key findings of the study [07:00]Translating THC units to harm reduction messaging [09:38]How the THC levels of cannabis were obtained [11:04]The implications of the findings for policy and harm reduction messaging [12:17]The take home messages [13:09]Can the findings be translated out of a UK market? [14:15]The next steps with standard THC units [15:25]About Elle Wadsworth: Elle is an academic fellow with the Society for the Study of Addiction. She is based at the University of Bath with the Addiction and Mental Health Group and her research interests include drug policy, cannabis legalisation, and public health. About Rachel Lees Thorne: Rachel is a research associate and associate director of the Addiction and Mental Health Group at the University of Bath. She completed her PhD in the same group in 2023, investigating risk factors and treatment for cannabis use disorder. Her current research examines the standard THC unit and its application for harm reduction and public health policy.About Tom Freeman: Tom is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Bath, and Director of the Addiction and Mental Health Group. His research includes characterising changes in cannabis products and their association with health, novel harm reduction strategies such as the standard THC unit, and clinical trials for the treatment of cannabis use disorder. He is funded by a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellowship, as well as the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Policy Research Unit in Addictions, and the NIHR Bath Mental Health Research Group.Authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.Original article: Estimating thresholds for risk of cannabis use disorder using standard delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) units https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70263 The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Zoe Swithenbank speaks to Dr Olufemi Erinoso, a postdoctoral fellow at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Dr Jennifer Pearson, an Associate Professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Nevada, Reno. The interview covers Olufemi and Jennifer’s research article covering the use of cessation products, e-cigarettes, and cigarette cessation outcomes among adults with substance use problems, using the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study from 2013-2021.An overview of the study [01:35]The key findings of the study [02:44]The unexpected findings [05:57]Considerations of the tobacco and e-cigarette policy context throughout the study period [08:02]Variations in findings across race/ethnicity [11:10]Policy recommendations for what works with regards to smoking cessation [13:38]The big take away from the study [15:30]About Zoe Swithenbank: Zoe is a senior research associate at Lancaster University, currently working on a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded research project exploring treatment pathways for co-occurring alcohol and mental health problems. She recently completed her PhD at Liverpool John Moores University on behavioural interventions for smoking cessation in substance use treatment services. Prior to starting her academic career, Zoe worked in health services including substance use, mental health, and homeless services, and these experiences shaped her research interests, as well as her commitment to the inclusion of people with lived experience in research.About Olufemi Erinoso: Olufemi, PhD, MPH, BDS, is a public health researcher and clinician-scientist specializing in tobacco control, harm reduction, and health systems research. He earned his MPH from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and PhD in Public Health (Social and Behavioral Health) from the University of Nevada, Reno, followed by postdoctoral training at Massachusetts General Hospital. His research addresses electronic nicotine delivery systems, substance use, and implementation science, with extensive experience analyzing large population-based datasets. Olufemi has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals and advances national and global tobacco regulatory science.About Jennifer Pearson: Jennifer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Behavior, Policy, and Administration Sciences in the School of Public Health at the University of Nevada, Reno. Broadly, her research focuses on how regulation of tobacco and cannabis product characteristics, packaging, and advertising affects consumer behavior and public health outcomes. Jennifer has authored over 140 scientific peer-reviewed scientific articles on tobacco and cannabis policy and published in high-impact journals such as the Addiction, the American Journal of Public Health, and Tobacco Control. Dr. Pearson earned her doctorate in Social and Behavioral Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2011, and her Master of Public Health degree from George Washington University in 2007. Jennifer started her career in public health as a Tobacco Education Coordinator for the American Lung Association of Nevada and served as a US Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea from 2002-2004.  Original article: Use of cessation products, e-cigarettes and cigarette cessation outcomes among adults with substance use problems: Results from 2013–2021 (Waves 1–6) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70098The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Tsen Vei Lim speaks to Professor Amandine Luquiens, a psychiatrist and addiction specialist at the University of Montpellier and the Addiction Department of Nîmes University Hospital, France. The interview covers Amandine’s research article on psilocybin in alcohol use disorder and comorbid depressive symptoms: Results from a feasibility randomized clinical trial.Psilocybin and its recent popularity in clinical trials [01:22]The concerns of using psilocybin to treat psychiatric disorders [03:05]The use of psychotherapy alongside psilocybin in treatment [05:16]The key findings from the study [07:01]The contribution of the findings to policy and practice [10:13]The public’s current opinion for using psilocybin for psychiatric disorders [12:07]About Tsen Vei Lim: Tsen Vei is an academic fellow supported by the Society for the Study of Addiction, currently based at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge. His research integrates computational modelling, experimental psychology, and neuroimaging to understand the neuropsychological basis of addictive behaviours. He holds a PhD in Psychiatry from the University of Cambridge (UK) and a BSc in Psychology from the University of Bath (UK).About Amandine Luquiens: Amandine Luquiens is a psychiatrist and addiction specialist, Full Professor at the University of Montpellier and the Addiction Department of Nîmes University Hospital. Her research focuses on patient-reported outcomes and psychotherapy-based interventions in addiction, with a particular interest in mindfulness and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy; she conducted the first clinical trial in France on psychedelics. Her work also addresses alcohol use disorder and gambling disorder, including the use of account-based gambling data to inform evidence-based guidance for policymakers. She is a member of the Centre de recherche en Epidémiologie et Santé des Populations (CESP) Inserm U1018 team Primary Care, Prevention and Women’s Health, and aims to advance patient-centered addiction care.Original article: Psilocybin in alcohol use disorder and comorbid depressive symptoms: Results from a feasibility randomized clinical trial https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70152Author's declaration of interest: AL has no conflict of interest in the field of psychedelics. She was the recipient of a grant regulated by a public organism “French observatory of addictive behaviors- OFDT” and constraining all French monopolistic gambling service providers to redistribute 0.002% of stakes on their platforms to academic research. The gambling service provider implied in that grant was the “Paris Mutuel Urbain” (PMU). Independency of the research with no constraint on the protocol, the analysis and the publication were guaranteed by a strict convention between universities, hospitals and the PMU. AL signed a data sharing agreement for the “OSE” study, through an academic-private convention with the FDJ: Independency of the research with no constraint on the protocol, the analysis and the publication were guaranteed by a strict convention between the hospital and the FDJ, and no funding was part of the convention.The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Tsen Vei Lim speaks to Dr Elisa Wegmann and Annica Kessling, a post-doctoral research fellow and a PhD student at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany. The interview covers Annica and Elisa’s research article on the effects of acute psychosocial stress on cue-reactivity, attentional bias and implicit associations in women with problematic social network use: An experimental studyWhat is problematic social network use? [01:36]The controversy of social network use as an addiction [02:50]What we already know about cognition in people with problematic social network use [03:37]What Annica and Elisa mean by implicit cognition in this context [05:21]Why it is important to study stress and social network use [06:09]The recruitment and experiments of the study [07:55]Examples of the paradigms used [09:42]The key findings of the study [11:53]Annica and Elisa’s thoughts on their paradoxical findings [12:45] Do the findings change how we view problematic social network use? [14:22]What do the findings add to the debate of social network use as an addiction behaviour [16:37]About Tsen Vei Lim: Tsen Vei is an academic fellow supported by the Society for the Study of Addiction, currently based at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge. His research integrates computational modelling, experimental psychology, and neuroimaging to understand the neuropsychological basis of addictive behaviours. He holds a PhD in Psychiatry from the University of Cambridge (UK) and a BSc in Psychology from the University of Bath (UK). About Annica Kessling: Annica is a PhD student at the Chair of General Psychology: Cognition at the University of Duisburg-Essen and a member of the research group FOR2974 “Affective and Cognitive Mechanisms of Specific Internet-Use Disorders,” within which she is completing her doctoral research. Her work focuses on problematic social media use, examining affective and implicit cognitive mechanisms as well as the impact of stress and predisposing variables on usage behaviour. A central component of her research involves experimental designs that integrate both objective and subjective measures to capture the complex interplay underlying maladaptive social network use.About Elisa Wegmann: Elisa is a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Department of General Psychology: Cognition. Her research focuses on the problematic use of social media and a better understanding of this potential disorder based on theoretical considerations and the identification of similarities and differences to other addictive behaviours. This is addressed by investigating the interplay of predisposing variables with affective and cognitive mechanisms resulting in significant impairments in daily life due to social media through a variety of methods such as clinical diagnostics, physiological markers, and the implementation and development of experimental paradigms and questionnaires.The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.Original article: Effects of acute psychosocial stress on cue-reactivity, attentional bias and implicit associations in women with problematic social network use: An experimental study https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70099The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Tsen Vei Lim speaks to Dr Justin Mahlberg, a Research Fellow at Monash University, Australia. The interview covers Justin’s research article on social cognition and decision-making in people with methamphetamine use disorder.Why studying cognition in methamphetamine use disorder is important [01:26]Antisocial behaviour among those with methamphetamine use disorder [02:24]How Justin investigated social cognition within the study [02:55]Basic social cognition processes that Justin looked at in this study [04:29]The key findings from the study [05:41] How Justin examined pro-social decision making through computer games [09:31]How Justin examined anti-social decision making through simulations [12:09]How the findings effect how we understand methamphetamine use disorder [14:14]The implications of the findings for treatment outcomes [15:33]The contribution of the findings to policy and practice [18:17]About Tsen Vei Lim: Tsen Vei is an academic fellow supported by the Society for the Study of Addiction, currently based at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge. His research integrates computational modelling, experimental psychology, and neuroimaging to understand the neuropsychological basis of addictive behaviours. He holds a PhD in Psychiatry from the University of Cambridge (UK) and a BSc in Psychology from the University of Bath (UK). About Justin Mahlberg: Justin holds a PhD in Psychology and is currently a Research Fellow in the Addiction & Impulsivity Research Lab within the School of Psychological Sciences and the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health at Monash University. Justin’s research is interested in uncovering how cognitive and decision-making processes shape human behaviour to help build better individualised, neuroscience-informed approaches to behavioural change. Justin is currently the clinical lead for an umbrella intervention trial focusing on developing brain-informed methods for personalising brain stimulation as a treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder.Original article: Social cognition and decision-making in people with methamphetamine use disorder https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70108The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr Emmert Roberts, Senior Clinical Lecturer at the National Addiction Centre, King’s College London and a Consultant Addiction Psychiatrist at the South London and the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. The interview covers Emmert’s short report examining the characteristics of drug-related deaths among individuals identified as LGBTQ+ in the United Kingdom, 1997–2024.LGBTQ+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer and others. The importance of examining drug-related deaths among those in the LGBTQ+ community [01:31]The use of the National Program on Substance Use Mortality database [04:00]The main findings of the study [05:05] The types of drugs used in sexualised and non-sexualised drug use [08:31]The limitations of the reporting of sexual orientation or trans status in coroner data [10:18]Improving the reporting of sexual orientation and trans status in coroner data [13:02]The implications of the findings for policy and practice [16:04]A sneak preview of findings from Emmert’s other paper in Addiction on methamphetamine-related deaths [17:07]The findings that were surprising to Emmert [18:59]About Elle Wadsworth: Elle is an academic fellow with the Society for the Study of Addiction. She is based at the University of Bath with the Addiction and Mental Health Group and her research interests include drug policy, cannabis legalisation, and public health. About Emmert Roberts: Emmert is a Senior Clinical Lecturer at the National Addiction Centre, King’s College London and a Consultant Addiction Psychiatrist at the South London and the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. He is a National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) Advanced Fellow, a Senior Harkness Fellow at the Commonwealth Fund and the Clinical Lead of the National Program on Substance Use Mortality (NPSUM).Authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.Original article: Characteristics of drug-related deaths among individuals identified as LGBTQ+ in the United Kingdom, 1997–2024 https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70198 The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr Myfanwy Graham, a Postgraduate Scholar at Monash University funded by the Australian Government's National Health and Medical Research Council. The interview covers Myfanwy’s data insight paper examining differences in the measurement of medical cannabis use. Why definitions and contexts matter with regards to medical cannabis use [01:05]Four measures of medical cannabis use that Myfanwy explored in the study [02:05]The medical cannabis policy contexts of the US, Australia, and Canada [03:30]The importance of using standardised questions across different countries [05:18]The main findings of the data insight [05:48]Interpretations of medical cannabis use [07:49]The implications of the findings for policy and practice [08:23]Myfanwy’s preferred measure of medical cannabis use [09:30]Self perceptions of being a medical cannabis consumer [10:34]The take-home messages of the study [11:56]About Elle Wadsworth: Elle is an academic fellow with the Society for the Study of Addiction. She is based at the University of Bath with the Addiction and Mental Health Group and her research interests include drug policy, cannabis legalisation, and public health.About Myfanwy Graham: Myfanwy is a Postgraduate Scholar funded by the Australian Government's National Health and Medical Research Council and a Monash Research Excellence Scholar at the Monash Addiction Research Centre, Monash University. Her research examines the intersection between drug policy and health outcomes with psychoactive medicines (e.g. medical cannabis, psychedelics). She is also a current Fellow at the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at the University of Southern California and is a Fulbright Scholar Alumna in public health policy. Myfanwy has completed consultancy work for the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, World Health Organization, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. She is also a registered pharmacist.Authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.Original article: Understanding medical cannabis use internationally: Why definitions and context matter https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70117The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr Tim Mackey and Dr Doug Roehler. Tim is a professor in the Global Health Program at UC San Diego and the CEO and co-founder of S-3 Research, and Doug is the Cannabis Research Unit lead in the Department of Policy and Research for California’s Department of Cannabis Control. The interview covers Tim and Doug’s research article exploring the health benefit claims of cannabis products on online marketplaces in the United States. Why exploring health benefit claims on cannabis products was an important topic to investigate [01:20]What are cannabis-derived products? [03:07]What are the online marketplaces ‘Leafly’ and ‘Weedmaps’? [03:35]Examples of health benefit claims [05:00]The main findings of the study [07:33]The cannabis regulatory environment in the US [10:20]The differences in health claims between different types of cannabis products [12:20]The methodology used in the study that brought together data scientists and public health researchers [14:11]The health claims that surprised Tim and Doug [18:31]About Elle Wadsworth: Elle is an academic fellow with the Society for the Study of Addiction. She is based at the University of Bath with the Addiction and Mental Health Group and her research interests include drug policy, cannabis legalisation, and public health. She has a BSc in Chemistry, an MSc in Addiction Studies, and a PhD in Public Health. About Tim Ken Mackey: Tim is a Professor in the Global Health Program at UC San Diego and the CEO and co-founder of S-3 Research, a public health data science company originally created from a Challenge.gov award. He is also the Director of the Global Health Policy and Data Institute and the Editor-in-Chief of JMIR Infodemiology. He has co-authored over 270 manuscripts on topics including global health, technology, data science, substance use disorder, and health policy. Dr Mackey is an entrepreneur and scientist working on technology innovation to address public health challenges. About Douglas Roehler: Doug leads the Cannabis Research Unit in the Department of Policy and Research for California’s Department of Cannabis Control. Previously, he was a health scientist and epidemiologist in the Division of Overdose Prevention at the CDC, where he primarily served in the CDC’s Cannabis Strategy Unit. He has published extensively on cannabis topics in peer-reviewed journals and governmental reports, appeared on national podcasts, and represented the CDC in the national media. He has published widely on several other topics, including injury prevention, drug overdose and substance use, youth prevention, syndromic surveillance, traffic crashes, and youth violence. Declarations of Interest: Tim Mackey is the CEO and co-founder of the company S-3 Research and holds equity/ownership in the company. S-3 Research is a small business that has received funding through government contracts and grants for professional and technology services including on topics related to substance use disorder.Original article: Exploratory analysis of United States-based cannabis product health benefit claims on online marketplaces https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70177The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Tsen Vei Lim speaks to Dr Joshua Garfield, a research fellow at Monash University and Turning Point, Australia. The interview covers Joshua’s research article on the efficacy of a personalised alcohol ‘approach bias modification’ smartphone app in people accessing outpatient treatment for alcohol use disorders.What is ‘approach bias modification’ [01:51]The smartphone app and how it works [04:30]The recruitment process of the randomised controlled trial [07:20]The key findings of the study [09:20]How did the participants of the study feel about using the app? [10:37]The implications of the study for practice [12:33]The next steps for this app and using the app in different populations [13:54]About Tsen Vei Lim: Tsen Vei is an academic fellow supported by the Society for the Study of Addiction, currently based at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge. His research integrates computational modelling, experimental psychology, and neuroimaging to understand the neuropsychological basis of addictive behaviours. He holds a PhD in Psychiatry from the University of Cambridge (UK) and a BSc in Psychology from the University of Bath (UK).About Joshua Garfield: Joshua completed a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Psychology at the University of Tasmania in 2002, and then a PhD in Behavioural Neuroscience at the University of New South Wales in 2008, where he studied animal learning theory. Following a brief post-PhD role in depression research, he moved to Melbourne to work for Monash University at Turning Point, an addiction treatment, research, and workforce training institute. Since 2015, he has managed Turning Point’s cognitive bias modification research program, led by Professor Victoria Manning.Original article: Efficacy of a personalised alcohol approach bias modification smartphone app in people accessing outpatient alcohol use disorder treatment: A randomised controlled trial https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70184The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr Phong Thai, an Associate Professor at Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, Australia. The interview covers Phong’s research article on a wastewater study measuring illegal drug use in Hanoi, Vietnam, to determine the feasibility of conducting wastewater analysis in a low-income country.Note: The acronym ‘UNODC’ used in this episode stands for the ‘United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’. Why looking at illegal drug use in Vietnam is important [01:07]Wastewater analysis and its utility in a low-income country [02:00]The biomarkers of focus [03:55]Why the authors chose Hanoi, Vietnam, to pilot wastewater analysis in South East Asia [05:38]Vietnam’s location and relation to drug trafficking in South East Asia [07:12]The Golden Triangle [08:22]The main findings of the study [08:48]Ketamine’s rise in popularity in Vietnam [10:16]The impact of COVID-19 on the consumption of drugs in Vietnam [11:18]Why are synthetic drugs becoming more popular? [12:30]The feasibility of conducting wastewater analysis in a low-income country [13:33]The take-home messages of the study [15:34]About Elle Wadsworth: Elle is an academic fellow with the Society for the Study of Addiction. She is based at the University of Bath with the Addiction and Mental Health Group and her research interests include drug policy, cannabis legalisation, and public health.About Phong Thai: Phong is an ARC Mid-Career Industry Fellow and Associate Professor at Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS). His research focus involves the expansion of wastewater-based epidemiological approach to estimate community consumption and exposure to a range of legal and illegal substances (including tobacco and alcohol) and pharmaceuticals, as well as the monitoring of community infection to COVID-19 during the last pandemic. He is a member of the team who manage the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program in Australia and has helped pioneering wastewater drug monitoring in several countries.Original article: Significant changes in preference of illicit drug use in a population of Hanoi, Vietnam – A 6-year wastewater study (2018–2023) https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70147The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Tsen Vei Lim talks to Zachary Bryant, a PhD candidate at the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney, Australia. The interview covers Zachary’s research report on the relationship between MDMA (or ecstasy) use in youth adulthood and anxiety or depressive disorders in later adult life.  The effects of MDMA [1:20]The prevalence of MDMA use and reasons why people take it [02:00]The relevance of MDMA for depression and anxiety [03:05]The use of the Victorian Adolescent Health Cohort Study to answer Zachary’s research question [04:17]The key findings of the study [06:50]Some reasons to explain the relationship found between MDMA use and anxiety but not depression [07:43]The self-medication hypothesis [10:04]The implication of the findings for clinical practice [11:02]The importance of replicating the findings in different cohorts and with more recent data [14:03] About Tsen Vei Lim: Tsen Vei is an academic fellow supported by the Society for the Study of Addiction, currently based at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge. His research integrates computational modelling, experimental psychology, and neuroimaging to understand the neuropsychological basis of addictive behaviours. He holds a PhD in Psychiatry from the University of Cambridge (UK) and a BSc in Psychology from the University of Bath (UK). About Zachary Bryant: Zachary is a PhD candidate and research officer at the University of Sydney’s Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use. His doctoral research examines the relationship between MDMA (ecstasy) use and mood, with a focus on implications for therapeutic applications. More broadly, his work explores the epidemiology of psychedelic use and applies advanced causal approaches to substance use research. He is particularly interested in emerging data collection and analysis methods, including intensive longitudinal designs such as Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA).The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. Original article: The relationship between 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) use in young adulthood and anxiety or depressive disorders in the mid-30s: Findings from the Victorian Adolescent Health Cohort Study - https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70173The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr Albert Burgess-Hull, the Scientific Director of SUDx and Head Data Scientist at MATClinics, US. The interview covers a short report examining treatment retention in opioid use disorder comparing subcutaneous injectable versus sublingual buprenorphine. ·      What is buprenorphine and what it is used for? [01:00]·      The benefits and drawbacks of sublingual versus subcutaneous injectable buprenorphine [01:38]·      An overview of the study [04:41]·      Statistically matching sublingual buprenorphine patients with subcutaneous injectable buprenorphine patients [06:05]·      The main findings of the study [08:34]·      The contrast of Albert’s findings with findings in previous literature [10:03]·      The implications of the findings for clinicians [12:28]·      The take home messages of the study [14:03]About Elle Wadsworth: Elle is an academic fellow with the Society for the Study of Addiction. She is based at the University of Bath with the Addiction and Mental Health Group and her research interests include drug policy, cannabis legalisation, and public health. Elle is also a senior analyst at RAND Europe, working on projects focusing on national and international drug policies. About Albert Burgess-Hull: Albert is an addiction scientist and machine-learning researcher, and is currently the Scientific Director of SUDx and Head Data Scientist at MATClinics. His research focuses on the development and deployment of digital health frameworks to improve medical decision-making, operational efficiency, and the delivery of substance use disorder treatments. Dr Burgess-Hull received his PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed postdoctoral fellowship training at the National Institute on Drug Abuse IRP at the National Institutes of Health. Declarations of interest: Dr Burgess-Hull is employed by MATClinics Services LLC. MATClinics are clinics serving outpatient treatment for opioid, alcohol and stimulant use. Original article: A comparative study of treatment retention in opioid use disorder: Subcutaneous injectable versus sublingual buprenorphine https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70105 The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Chloe Burke talks to Dr Monika Halicka, a Senior Research Associate at the Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, UK. The interview covers a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness and safety of psychosocial interventions for cannabis use disorder. ·      An overview of Monika’s paper [1:00]·      The different types of psychosocial interventions found in the review [02:55]·      What ‘inactive controls’ and ‘non-specific controls’ are with regards to psychosocial interventions [04:30]·      Deciding on the outcomes of focus for the study [06:00]·      The results of the meta-analysis in which psychosocial interventions had clinically meaningful improvements in abstinence [07:31]·      The potential adverse events occurring from psychosocial interventions [09:31]·      Recommendations for clinical practice and the hesitancy in making these recommendations [10:41]·      The take home message of the study [12:24]About Chloe Burke: Chloe is a Senior Research Associate in Evidence Synthesis based in the Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol. Her current role applies evidence synthesis methodologies (e.g. network meta-analysis) to health-related topics, including addiction. She has a background in psychiatric epidemiology with a focus on applying causal inference methods (e.g. Mendelian randomization) to the topic of substance use and mental health. She holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Bath, which investigated the co-use of cannabis and tobacco and depression risk. She is currently co-chair of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco Genetics and Omics Network.About Monika Halicka: Monika is a member of the National Institute for Health and Care Research Bristol Evidence Synthesis Group and works as a senior research associate in evidence synthesis at Bristol Medical School (University of Bristol, UK). With a background in psychology and neuroscience, her previous research focused on applying experimental psychology and statistical modelling approaches to health-related problems, largely in the context of chronic pain. Having transitioned to evidence synthesis, she is interested in robust statistical synthesis methods.The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. Original article: Effectiveness and safety of psychosocial interventions for the treatment of cannabis use disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70084 The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Tsen Vei Lim speaks to Dr Wei Deng, an assistant professor from McMaster University and St Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Canada. The interview covers the research article Wei led examining externalising as a common genetic influence for a broad spectrum of substance use and behavioural conditions using a large UK longitudinal dataset.‘Externalising’ is a type of outward-directed behavioural expression, such as risky substance use, aggression, and hyperactivity. ‘Polygenic risk scores’ are numbers that estimate a person’s inherited risk for a disease, trait, or condition (in this case, addiction) based on the presence of many genetic variants. ·      Why studying genetics is important for addiction [01:12]·      How we study the genetics of addiction [01:57]·      Polygenic risk scores and their importance in addiction [3:49]·      The origin of Wei’s research questions [05:32]·      The headline findings of the paper [08:06]·      How the findings affect the way we currently think about addiction [09:22]·      Common genetic components shared between behavioral and substances addictions [11:11]·      The importance of the environment in the genetic risks of addiction [13:15]·      How the findings can contribute to clinical practice [13:37]·      How big data and artificial intelligence (AI) can help us understand addiction [14:42]·      The exploration of whether genetic factors are the root cause of addiction [18:06]About Tsen Vei Lim: Dr Lim is an academic fellow supported by the Society for the Study of Addiction, currently based at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge. His research integrates computational modelling, experimental psychology, and neuroimaging to understand the neuropsychological basis of addictive behaviours. He holds a PhD in Psychiatry from the University of Cambridge (UK) and a BSc in Psychology from the University of Bath (UK).About Wei Q Deng: Dr Deng is a statistical scientist who investigates how genes, brain function, and environment shape long-term health risks. Her research focuses on delay discounting and related self-regulation processes that influence decisions about health, substance use, and long-term planning. She studies how these traits contribute to addiction and chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Using large-scale data and molecular tools, she uncovers why some people are more vulnerable and how those risks can be reduced. Based at McMaster University and St Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, she leads interdisciplinary projects bridging genomics, behavior, and public health.Original article: Externalizing as a common genetic influence for a broad spectrum of substance use and behavioural conditions: a development perspective from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70163The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth speaks to Professor Owen Bowden-Jones from Central North-West London NHS Foundation and Mr Arun Sahai from Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals NHS Trust, both in the UK. The interview covers an editorial they wrote with Professor Paul Dargan on responses to non-medical and medical ketamine use, including concerns about the increasing harms from illicit ketamine and excitement about the potential therapeutic value of ketamine.  We apologise for the sound quality at points during this episode, but we promise its worth the listen! ·      Ketamine and its uses [01:15]·      Why ketamine is listed as an essential medicine by the World Health Organisation [01:59]·      The differing uses of ketamine: an essential medicine, a novel therapeutic drug, and a recreational drug [3:00]·      Ketamine’s damage to the urinary tract and the liver [04:30]·      Available treatments for the physical harms of ketamine [07:45]·      Whether substance use treatment services in the UK are fit-for-purpose when it comes to ketamine [11:06] ·      Some of the reasons why is ketamine a popular drug now [15:38]·      The potential therapeutic value of ketamine for many disorders [17:29]·      The importance of communicating information to people who use ketamine [19:19]About Arun Sahai: Mr Arun Sahai, PhD, FRCS (Urol), BSc (Hons.), is a Consultant Urological Surgeon in Functional urology (bladder dysfunction, incontinence, uro-neurology and urinary tract reconstruction) at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals NHS Trust and an Honorary Reader within King’s College London. He is the current chair of the section of functional and reconstructive urology at the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS). He is the lead for undergraduate education in surgery for King's College London. His research interests include various aspects of benign bladder dysfunction and prostate cancer survivorship. He is active in both commercial and non-commercial clinical trials and has published more than 100 peer reviewed international papers and more than 15 book chapters. About Owen Bowden-Jones: Professor Owen Bowden-Jones CBE is a Consultant in Addiction Psychiatry at the CNWL Club Drug Clinic, London and an Honorary Professor at University College London. In 2010, Owen founded the CNWL Club Drug Clinic, an innovative service offering treatment for emerging drug problems, including novel psychoactive substances and club drugs. National roles include President of the Society for the Study of Addiction, Chair of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, Policy Fellow at the University of Cambridge, trustee at the charity Student Minds and Registrar at the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Owen is the past-Chair of the Faculty of Addictions at the Royal College of Psychiatrists and was previously a national clinical adviser to Public Health England. Original editorial: Responding to medicinal and non-medicinal ketamine use https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70075The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal. The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr Tsen Vei Lim talks to Dr Katie East, an Associate Professor in Public Health within the Department of Primary Care and Public Health at Brighton and Sussex Medical School in the UK. The interview covers her and her co-authors research report on a randomised online experiment evaluating the impact of vaping fact films on vaping harm perceptions among UK young adults, as well as discussing the broader misconceptions around vaping and the importance of expert-led health messaging. ·      How vapes differ from conventional tobacco smoking [1:31]·      Some misconceptions around vaping [02:07]·      What do people know about nicotine? [03:20]·      The vaping fact films and addressing the common myths around vaping [04:20]·      The key findings of the study [06:06]·      The importance of expert messaging in correcting perceptions on vaping [07:27]·      Where can we find the vaping fact films? [08:22]·      How can we combat misconceptions in vaping? [09:30]·      Whether governments have a role in addressing vaping misconceptions [10:52]·      The strategies to help people quit smoking that include vapes [12:13]·      The evidence on these strategies [13:10]·      How the collaborators found the experience in creating the videos [14:14]About Tsen Vei Lim: Tsen Vei is an academic fellow supported by the Society for the Study of Addiction, currently based at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge. His research integrates computational modelling, experimental psychology, and neuroimaging to understand the neuropsychological basis of addictive behaviours. He holds a PhD in Psychiatry from the University of Cambridge (UK) and a BSc in Psychology from the University of Bath (UK). About Katie East: Katie is an Associate Professor in Public Health within the Department of Primary Care and Public Health at Brighton and Sussex Medical School. She also has a visiting appointment at King's College London (KCL), where she recently completed her SSA Fellowship on the topic of vaping harm perceptions. In 2024, she was awarded the SSA's Fred Yates Prize for significant contributions to work in the field of addiction. Her research focuses on nicotine and tobacco product use, perceptions, and policies.The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. Original article: Evaluating the impact of vaping facts films on vaping harm perceptions among young adults in the UK: A randomized on-line experiment - https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70119 The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.