Drugs and Alcohol Today
August 3, 2020
Jani Pestana, Franca Beccaria, Enrico Petrilli
41 citations
Psychonauts on Reddit use psychedelic substances for self-knowledge, self-investigation, self-medication, artistic expression, curiosity, and recreation. They emphasize preparation, set and setting, integration, careful dosing, and sharing information through research and trip reports—practices aligned with responsible drug use. These findings highlight evolving norms in non-medical, non-rave Western psychedelic use.
Drugs and Alcohol Today
June 1, 2008
David Luke
36 citations
No Summary
Drugs and Alcohol Today
April 13, 2009
Zoë Smith, Karenza Moore, Fiona Measham
34 citations
Ecstasy (MDMA) use in Britain has declined since 2001 according to the British Crime Survey, but a new form of MDMA powder or crystal has emerged as a 'premium' product, rebranded in response to user dissatisfaction with poor-quality pills. These changes occurred within a policy context that prioritized the drugs-crime relationship through coercive treatment of problem drug users and a focus on binge drinking, leading to a reduction in information, support, and treatment for ecstasy users since the mid-1990s Safer Dancing harm reduction model.
Drugs and Alcohol Today
August 30, 2010
Zoe Davey, Ornella Corazza, Fabrizio Schifano et al.
30 citations
The internet has accelerated the growth of the licit recreational drug market, notably for mephedrone and related cathinones. Keeping up with these new drugs is difficult due to a lack of balanced information and the risk of widespread misinformation. This article examines how inaccurate information about mephedrone and substituted cathinones spreads, drawing on the European Commission-funded Psychonaut Web Mapping project, which used online resources to detect emerging trends, monitor their diffusion, and develop a reasonably accurate profile of these new psychoactive compounds. The implications for harm reduction and future research are discussed.
Drugs and Alcohol Today
February 24, 2015
Fabrizio Schifano
12 citations
Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) encompass a diverse and rapidly evolving array of molecules, including psychedelic phenethylamines, synthetic cannabinoids, cathinone derivatives, novel stimulants, synthetic opioids, tryptamines, dissociatives, piperazines, GABA receptor agonists, prescription medications, psychoactive plants, and performance-enhancing drugs. Users seek these substances for their psychoactive effects. Health professionals must understand the effects and toxicity of NPS to address the wide range of medical and psychopathological issues. The EU-MADNESS project aims to improve understanding of NPS pharmacology and disseminate current information to clinicians. Further research is needed to develop evidence-based clinical management strategies.
Drugs and Alcohol Today
December 2, 2010
Peter Brackenridge
6 citations
Ibogaine therapy, combined with psychoanalytic psychotherapy, offers a viable alternative to mainstream opiate addiction treatment. Ibogaine's addiction-arresting and fast-acting properties complement the slow, thoughtful conversation of psychotherapy, creating a novel approach to a difficult condition. Safer than methadone, ibogaine use is increasing worldwide and became a prescription medication in New Zealand in 2010. Howard Lotsof, who discovered ibogaine's anti-addictive properties 47 years earlier, devoted his life to improving access before his death in January 2010. This paper explores how these two approaches differ from other treatment modalities.
Drugs and Alcohol Today
June 17, 2011
James Rodger
5 citations
Ibogaine, a hallucinogenic alkaloid from the West African plant Tabernanthe iboga, is used in an underground treatment scene for alcohol and substance dependence. The paper draws on comparative ethnography of magicoreligious iboga use in West Africa and contemporary accounts of ibogaine addiction treatment, contextualizing these within neurobiology and anthropology. The medicine's impact on craving, withdrawal, and psycho-spiritual insight may validate the hope it generates. Successful treatments appear to respect but transform subcultural meanings and identities while promoting realism and psychosocial integration. The scale of underground use demands urgent funding for research to optimize safety.
Drugs and Alcohol Today
July 1, 2007
Casey Hardison
2 citations
The text recounts the 2004 arrest of Casey Hardison for producing psychedelic drugs (LSD, 2C-B, DMT) and argues that authorities never asked about his motivations, assuming greed was the reason. Hardison claimed his actions were a stand for cognitive liberty and personal transformation through expanded consciousness, but the judge dismissed this as a ruse. The author presents Hardison's perspective as a committed defense of cognitive liberty and a vision of a world where people understand the connection between individuality and unity.
Drugs and Alcohol Today
June 8, 2012
1 citation
No Summary
Drugs and Alcohol Today
November 1, 2004
Gary Hayes
Ibogaine is described as both a potential miracle cure for addictions—with reports of up to 90% effectiveness—and a substance linked to violent reactions and increased overdose risk. This overview examines its promise as an addiction treatment, drawing on interviews with those who administer and use it. It also explores why so little research has been conducted in the UK to establish its safety, and points to political and commercial reluctance to investigate its potential.