Addiction Audio

In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr Tobias (Toby) Atkin, psychiatrist and a research fellow in Addiction Psychiatry at Columbia University in the US. The interview covers Toby’s opinion and debate piece on redefining success in cannabis use disorder treatment.[There are some light knocks/clicks in this episode – we apologise for any disruption!]The motivation behind Toby’s opinion and debate piece [00:50]The treatments that are available for cannabis use disorder today [02:52]The limitations of abstinence-focused endpoints in cannabis use disorder treatment [04:50] What we can learn from tobacco and alcohol in terms of reduction-based outcomes in cannabis use disorder treatment [06:26]Methodological challenges with measuring outcomes for cannabis use disorder treatment [08:23]The tiered outcome framework proposed in Toby’s article [09:26]Different measures of abstinence in cannabis use disorder trials [11:45]The decision to choose frequency over quantity as the core outcome [13:06]The key messages of the article [14:18]What Toby hopes to get out of this opinion and debate piece [16:27]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 holds a voluntary role at The Loop, a non-profit service provider of drug checking in the UK. About Toby Atkin, MD: Toby is an addiction psychiatry fellow in the Division of Pathophysiology and Treatment Research at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the New York State Psychiatric Institute. He completed psychiatry residency at Columbia and is supported by a NIDA T32 fellowship under the mentorship of Frances Levin, MD, and Christina Brezing, MD. His research examines psychiatric comorbidity and treatment outcomes in substance use disorders, including a latent class analysis of psychiatric subtypes in opioid use disorder treatment and a pilot randomised trial of viloxazine for alcohol use disorder. He maintains a private practice in Brooklyn treating mood and addiction disorders.Declarations of interest: None Original article: Beyond abstinence: Redefining success in cannabis use disorder treatment https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70517The 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.

In this episode, Dr Tsen Vei Lim talks to Sinclair Carr and Dr Jürgen Rehm. Sinclair is a PhD candidate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in the US, and Jürgen is a Senior Scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Canada. The interview covers Sinclair and Jürgen’s updated review of the relationship between dimensions of alcohol consumption and the burden of disease.  How do we determine causality? [01:29]What is Mendelian randomisation?  [02:54]How do we use genes to explore causality of alcohol consumption in later life? [04:40]The context behind this study [06:05]The headline findings from the review [09:28]How can we mitigate bias as researchers? [14:18]How Sinclair and Jürgen envisage the findings to effect current alcohol policy [17:20]The barriers to enacting an effective public health policy for alcohol [20:28]Refining the methods for next steps in this review [23:50]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 Sinclair Carr: Sinclair is a PhD candidate in Population Health Sciences – Epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, US. His research focuses on drawing causal inferences from large observational databases, with two aims: to estimate the effects of pharmacologic and lifestyle interventions, such as alcohol use, on cardiovascular and other health outcomes; and to transport these effect estimates to target populations most relevant for clinical and policy decision-making. He hopes these efforts ultimately help improve the prevention of chronic diseases.About Jürgen Rehm: Jürgen is Senior Scientist in the Institute for Mental Health Policy Research and in the Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). He is Professor and was the Inaugural Chair of Addiction Policy in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, and he also holds other professorships and positions in Canada, Germany and Spain. His work has been awarded with numerous awards and prizes, most importantly, the Jellinek Memorial Award (2003), the European Addiction Research Award (2017) and the (Inaugural) Kettil Bruun Society Award for Advancement of International Research Collaboration (2021).  Original article: A review of the relationship between dimensions of alcohol consumption and the burden of disease: 2026 update including Mendelian randomisation studies https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70435The 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.

In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr Louise Marryat, a senior research fellow at the University of Glasgow, Scotland. The interview covers Louise’s systematic review on prenatal opioid exposure, and health, social and educational outcomes for school-aged children.The motivation behind Louise’s systematic review [00:50]The current evidence surrounding prenatal opioid exposure and early outcomes [02:13]What Louise defined as prenatal opioid exposure in her review [03:08] The limitation of small sample sizes in the included studies [04:08]The methods of the review [04:55]The key findings of the review [08:20]The implications of the findings on Scottish health policy [12:38]The take home messages for researchers and clinicians [15:48]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 holds a voluntary role at The Loop, a non-profit service provider of drug checking in the UK. About Louise Marryat: Louise is a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellow and Senior Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow. A sociologist by training, she holds a PhD in Psychological Medicine and has dedicated her career to understanding the social, environmental, and psychological factors that shape health and wellbeing across the life course. She currently leads the UK Opioids in Pregnancy Study (https://opioidsinpregnancy.gla.ac.uk/), exploring the impacts of opioid use and treatment during pregnancy on mothers and children. Her research focuses on reducing health inequalities and improving outcomes for children, families, and communities experiencing disadvantage through evidence-based policy and practice.Declarations of interest: None Original article: Prenatal opioid exposure, and health, social and educational outcomes for school-aged children: A systematic review https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70510 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.

In this episode, Dr Tsen Vei Lim talks to Dr Anastasia Demina, an addiction physician and researcher at the Dijon Bourgogne University Hospital and Université Bourgogne Europe, France.  The interview covers Anastasia’s randomised controlled triple-blind trial on the efficacy and safety of transcranial direct current stimulation in alcohol use disorder.The current available treatments for alcohol use disorder [01:11]Why transcranial direct current stimulation is needed [03:38]The process of transcranial direct current stimulation [04:51]The key findings of the study [07:31]How transcranial direct current stimulation works among current treatments for alcohol use disorder [12:21]The next steps for implementing transcranial direct current stimulation into clinical practice [16:04]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 Anastasia Demina: Anastasia MD, PhD, is an addiction physician and researcher at the Dijon Bourgogne University Hospital and Université Bourgogne Europe. Her research focuses on optimising non-invasive brain stimulation to improve outcomes in individuals with substance use disorders, bridging neuroscience and clinical translation. She has led and contributed to clinical trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and international collaborations in neuromodulation and addiction.Original article: Efficacy and safety of transcranial direct current stimulation in alcohol use disorder: A randomized controlled triple-blind trial https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70461The 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.

In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Annette Nugteren-van Lonkhuyzen, a PhD student and toxicologist at the Dutch National Poisons Information Centre in Utrecht, the Netherlands. The interview covers Annette’s research article examining trends in new psychoactive substance (NPS) poisonings in the Netherlands over a 14-year period.The definition of new psychoactive substances [01:05]The wider legal context in the Netherlands surrounding NPS [01:40]The legal status of new psychoactive substances in Annette’s study [03:16]The motivation behind the study [03:49]The data source used in this study [06:19]The key findings with regards to total new psychoactive substance poisonings [08:46]The key findings throughout the different new psychoactive substance classes [09:33]Annette's surprising findings [11:46]Changes in trends before and after a law change [13:18]The differences in results according to the data sources used [15:30]The utility of poison centre data for monitoring drug markets [17:00]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 holds a voluntary role at The Loop, a non-profit service provider of drug checking in the UK.About Annette Nugteren-van Lonkhuyzen: Johanna J. (Annette) (MSc, ERT) studied Biomedical Sciences at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Since 2009, she has worked at the Dutch National Poisons Information Centre (NVIC) in Utrecht, initially as a Specialist in Poisons Information (SPI) and subsequently as a researcher. In 2023, she obtained her registration as a European Registered Toxicologist (ERT). Annette is currently completing her PhD research on the monitoring and early detection of health incidents involving new psychoactive substances (NPS).Declarations of interest: NoneOriginal article: Trends in new psychoactive substance poisonings in the Netherlands: A 14-year retrospective analysis (2012–2025) https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70511The 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.

In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Professor Rasmon Kalayasiri, Head of the Department of Psychiatry at the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. The interview covers Rasmon’s editorial that asks the question: Can Thailand replace a commercialised cannabis market for adult use with a medical prescription model?  Thailand’s cannabis policy [01:15]Thailand’s legal non-medical market between 2022 and 2025 [03:12]The non-medical market after the policy reversal in 2025 [04:50] Reasons for the reversal of non-medical cannabis policy [06:25]The role of the research community [07:58]The key data gaps in cannabis research in Thailand [09:19]Whether Thailand can replace a commercialised cannabis market for adult use with a medical prescription model [11:11]The drafting of Thailand’s cannabis law [13:25]The take home messages [14:25]The lessons to learn from Thailand’s experience [16:27]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 holds a voluntary role at The Loop, a non-profit service provider of drug checking in the UK. About Rasmon Kalayasiri: Rasmon is the Head of the Department of Psychiatry at the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, in Bangkok, Thailand. She also serves as the Director of the Centre for Addiction Studies (CADS) and the Alcohol Helpline (1413), both supported by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth). In addition, she is the Chair of the Board of Examiners for the Addiction Psychiatry Training Program of the Royal College of Psychiatrists of Thailand.Declarations of interest: None Original editorial: Can Thailand replace a commercialised cannabis market for adult use with a medical prescription model? https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70499The 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 by Jack Shakespeare.

In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr Nikolay Lunchenkov, medical doctor, a global health specialist, and a doctoral candidate in Global Health at the Technical University of Munich, Germany. The interview covers Nikolay’s research article analysing chemsex trajectories among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Almaty, Kazakhstan.What is chemsex? [01:00]The wider context of drug use in Kazakhstan [01:58]The trajectories of chemsex [03:16] The methods used, and the use of a life course framework [05:36]The five trajectory stages developed: initiation, maintenance, escalation, dependence, and disengagement [07:30]The realistic and idealistic implications of the findings for treatment in Kazakhstan [17:00]The take-home messages [19:09]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 holds a voluntary role at The Loop, a non-profit service provider of drug checking in the UK. About Nikolay Lunchenkov: Nikolay, MD, MSc is a doctoral candidate in Global Health at the Technical University of Munich (TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology). His research focuses on HIV prevention, PrEP implementation, chemsex and harm reduction among key populations in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. His fieldwork focuses on Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, combining qualitative and epidemiological methods to understand how marginalised communities navigate health systems under restrictive political conditions. He also teaches graduate seminars on authoritarian regimes and global health, as well as cross-cultural qualitative research methods, at TUM.Declarations of interest: None Original article: ‘Emptiness filled with love’: A reflexive thematic analysis of chemsex trajectories among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Almaty, Kazakhstan, using a life course framework https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70454The 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.

In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Pablo Gonzalez Nieto, a harm reduction provider, drug checking technician, and research assistant at Substance Drug Checking within the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, Canada. The interview covers Pablo’s research article on drug sellers’ use of a drug checking service amid the overdose crisis in British Columbia, Canada.We apologise for the sound quality at points during this episode, but we promise its worth the listen! What a drug checking service is [01:20]The motivation to examine drug sellers’ use of drug checking services [03:33]The difference in findings between drug sellers and drug consumers [08:00] The unique service that Pablo’s drug checking facility provides [09:00]The main take away from the paper [11:41]Using drug checking services as a harm reduction intervention [14:05]Funding cuts to harm reduction services in Canada [16:00]Drug consumption at the World Cup [17:35]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 holds a voluntary role at The Loop, a non-profit service provider of drug checking in the UK. About Pablo González Nieto: Pablo is a harm reduction provider, drug checking technician, and research assistant at Substance Drug Checking, within the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research. He holds an MSc in Social Dimensions of Health from the University of Victoria, where his research focused on the unregulated opioid market and access to drug checking services among key populations. His research interests include drug decriminalization, novel psychoactive substances in the unregulated opioid supply, and the implementation of drug checking services in the Global South, among other topics.Declarations of interest: None Original article: Drug sellers' use of a drug checking service amid the overdose crisis in British Columbia, Canada https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70429 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.