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Addiction journal

Welcome to the podcast from the journal Addiction. The podcast includes interviews with Addiction authors about their work, details about publishing in the journal, and other topics of interest to the field of addiction. This podcast is for researchers, clinicians, students, people with lived experience, and anyone with an interest in the topic. For Season 3, our interviewers are: Dr Elle Wadsworth, Dr Tsen Vei Lim, Dr Chloe Burke, and Dr Zoe Swithenbank.

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S4 · E33
Friday · 18 min
What young people see online about illicit vaping with Eleanor Bray
In this episode, Dr Annika Theodoulou speaks to Eleanor Bray, a research associate at the University of East Anglia, UK. The interview covers Eleanor’s research article covering a content analysis of illicit vape messaging in young people's information sources. Illicit vaping and why it is an important issue in the UK [01:08] The Tobacco and Vapes Bill in the UK [03:21] How social media platforms like TikTok influence people’s understanding of illicit vaping [04:04] What prompted Eleanor’s team to explore this topic [05:20] The methods used in the study [06:30] The use of a public and patient engagement representative [09:25] The challenges of using TikTok in research [10:41] The main differences between TikTok and official educational resources [12:11] What we can learn from TikTok [15:45] The take home messages [17:15] About Annika Theodoulou: Annika is a Research Fellow at the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction at Flinders University, South Australia. Her work focuses on health behaviours, including smoking cessation and weight management, with an emphasis on evidence synthesis. She completed a Doctor of Philosophy in Primary Health Care at the University of Oxford, where her research examined socioeconomic inequalities in smoking cessation behaviours and outcomes using quantitative and qualitative methods. Her doctoral research was funded by the Society for the Study of Addiction (SSA) and The Rotary Foundation. Annika is an Associate Editor of Nicotine & Tobacco Research and holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences and a Master of Clinical Science from the University of Adelaide. About Eleanor Bray: Eleanor is a Research Associate at the University of East Anglia, working within the Addiction Research Group at Norwich Medical School and the School of Psychology. She has worked on a range of projects within the Addiction Research Group exploring vaping cessation, smoking cessation and use of illegal and novel nicotine products. Her research interests focus particularly on the relationship between social media and addiction, as well as the role of co-production in facilitating harm reduction among young people. Eleanor has presented her research at an international conference and recently published her first paper published in Addiction. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Original article: #NoIDVape: A content analysis of illicit vape messaging in young people's information sources https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70476 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. Music by Jack Shakespeare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S4 · E32
August 21 · 17 min
Redefining success in cannabis use disorder treatment with Toby Atkin
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.70517 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.
S4 · E31
August 14 · 26 min
What we know about alcohol risk in 2026 with Sinclair Carr and Jürgen Rehm
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.70435 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. Music provided by Jack Shakespeare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S4 · E30
August 7 · 18 min
School-aged outcomes after prenatal opioid exposure with Louise Marryat
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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S4 · E29
July 31 · 20 min
Using brain stimulation to treat alcohol use disorder with Anastasia Demina
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.70461 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. Music provided by Jack Shakespeare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S4 · E28
July 24 · 18 min
Tracking trends in new psychoactive substance poisonings with Annette Nugteren-van Lonkhuyzen
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: None Original article: Trends in new psychoactive substance poisonings in the Netherlands: A 14-year retrospective analysis (2012–2025) https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70511 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.
S4 · E27
July 17 · 18 min
The next chapter of cannabis regulation in Thailand with Rasmon Kalayasiri
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.70499 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. Music by Jack Shakespeare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S4 · E26
July 10 · 21 min
Chemsex trajectories among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men with Nikolay Lunchenkov
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.70454 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.
S4 · E25
July 3 · 21 min
Drug sellers' use of drug checking services with Pablo Gonzalez Nieto
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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S4 · E24
June 26 · 21 min
How state regulations shape kratom exposure and harm with Grant Comstock and Ryan Feldman
In this episode, Dr Tsen Vei Lim talks to Drs Grant Comstock and Ryan Feldman. Grant is an Assistant Professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin and Associate Medical Director of the Wisconsin Poison Center and Ryan is a clinical toxicologist, emergency medicine pharmacist, and Clinical Associate Professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin. The interview covers Grant and Ryan’s article examining the association between state-level kratom regulations and poison center-reported severe medical outcomes and healthcare use in the United States (US). What is kratom? [01:14] Why people are worried about kratom use in the US [02:58] Grant and Ryan’s research question and focus of the study [05:33] The key findings of the study [10:25] The relationship between kratom regulations and kratom-related hospitalisations [12:16] The implications of the findings for existing kratom regulations [13:04] The data that researchers should collect to improve the data vacuum on kratom [18:03] The takeaway from the study: read the discussion! [19:40] 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 Grant Comstock: Grant, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin and Associate Medical Director of the Wisconsin Poison Center, US. He is board certified in emergency medicine, medical toxicology, and addiction medicine. His academic interests include novel psychoactive substances, harm reduction strategies, and overdose epidemiology. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Comstock is actively involved in research, medical education, and mentorship within emergency medicine and medical toxicology. About Ryan Feldman: Ryan, PharmD, DABAT, FAACT, is a clinical toxicologist, emergency medicine pharmacist, and Clinical Associate Professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He works with the Wisconsin Poison Center, where he helps manage poisoning and overdose cases, and is Toxicology Section Editor for the American Journal of Emergency Medicine. His work focuses on emerging substances, poison center data, overdose trends, and public health responses to toxic exposures. Ryan has published on substances including kratom, phenibut, tianeptine, cannabinoids, and mushroom toxins. He also hosts The Poison Lab, an educational podcast exploring toxicology, outbreaks, and poisoning science. Original article: Association between state-level kratom regulations and poison center-reported severe medical outcomes and healthcare use: A United States national analysis https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70416 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. Music provided by Jack Shakespeare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S4 · E23
June 19 · 16 min
Drug use related problems in Ethiopia with Tesfa Yimer
In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr Tesfa Yimer, a postdoctoral researcher at the National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, Australia. The interview covers Tesfa’s research article taking a regional perspective on substance use related problems in Ethiopia. The importance of examining drug-related problems in Ethiopia [01:00] Commonly consumed drugs in Ethiopia [01:51] Khat and its use in Ethiopia [02:50] The prevalence of Khat [04:08] The relationship between religion and drug use [04:41] The emerging drug-related concerns in Ethiopia [06:05] The transit routes in Ethiopia that make it stand out in East Africa [08:52] The substance use disorder treatment landscape in Ethiopia [09:44] The regulation of tobacco, alcohol, khat and cannabis [11:15] The major research gaps in Ethiopia with regards to drug use [13:19] The take home messages [14:56] 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. Elle holds a voluntary role at The Loop, a non-profit service provider of drug checking in the UK. About Tesfa Yimer: Tesfa is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, Australia. Tesfa’s research is focused on addiction epidemiology and drug policy. His research aims to generate evidence-informed policy recommendations to reduce substance-related harms and improve public health outcomes. Tesfa is currently working to understand the social and public health impacts of cannabis policies. Declarations of interest: None Original article: Regional perspectives: Substance use related problems in Ethiopia https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70392 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.
S4 · E22
June 12 · 23 min
Use and harms of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) with Amy Peacock and Krista Siefried
In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr Amy Peacock, an Associate Professor and Deputy Director of the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, and Dr Krista Siefried, a Clinical Research Lead and Deputy Director, of the National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs at the University of New South Wales, Australia. The interview covers two research articles: 1) Amy’s article on trends in gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) use, harms and treatment in Australia and 2) Krista’s article on emergency department presentations, hospitalisations and police seizure data related to GHB in New South Wales, Australia. What is GHB? [01:30] Why is GHB an important drug to examine in the Australian population [02:30] The data sources Amy used in her study [04:20] The data sources Krista used in her study [06:45] The key findings of the study [08:21] Metabolites of GHB and risks of consuming GHB with alcohol [13:20] The implications of the findings for policy and treatment in Australia [14:04] The reasons behind the recent increase of GHB in Australia [16:30] The take home messages [19:14] 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 voluntary roles at The Loop, a non-profit service provider of drug checking in the UK and the International Society for the Study of Drug Policy. About Amy Peacock: Amy is an Associate Professor, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Emerging Leadership Fellow and Deputy Director of the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales. She is also Program Lead for Drug Trends, a national monitoring system identifying trends in illicit drug use, markets and harms that is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. About Krista Siefried: Krista is Clinical Research Lead and Deputy Director, the National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs (NCCRED) at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia. She is also a Senior Lecturer at the UNSW National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), and St Vincent's Hospital Sydney Alcohol and Drug Service. Krista works towards evidence-based interventions to reduce harm and improve healthcare for people who use drugs. Her leadership emphasises collaborative research, deep community engagement, and practical outcomes to address the needs of individuals, families, and frontline service providers. Declarations of interest: Krista is employed by the UNSW and St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney, she has no other conflicts to declare. Original articles: Emergency department presentations, hospitalisations and police seizure data related to gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) in New South Wales, Australia, from 2015 to 2024 https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70202 Trends in gamma-hydroxybutyrate use, harms and treatment in Australia, 2013 to 2024 https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70308 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.
S4 · E21
June 5 · 11 min
Swapping smoking for vaping in England with Vera Buss and Leonie Brose
In this episode, Annika Theodoulou speaks to Dr Vera Buss, a Senior Research Fellow at University College London, and Professor Leonie Brose, a Professor of Addictions & Public Health at King's College London, UK. The interview covers Vera and Leonie’s research article examining the association between the national ‘Swap to Stop’ programme offering free vapes for smoking cessation and quit attempts in England. Background on the Swap to Stop program in England [01:10] The motivations behind the study [01:50] The Smoking Toolkit Study and using an Interrupted Time Series Analysis [03:00] The key findings of the study [04:50] The factors which Vera and Leonie adjusted for [07:00] The policy landscape in England regarding vaping as a smoking cessation aid [07:41] What can other countries learn from the findings [09:12] The surprising results of this study [09:50] The implications of the findings for policy and practice [10:36] About Annika Theodoulou: Annika is a Research Fellow at the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction at Flinders University, South Australia. Her work focuses on health behaviours, including smoking cessation and weight management, with an emphasis on evidence synthesis. She completed a Doctor of Philosophy in Primary Health Care at the University of Oxford, where her research examined socioeconomic inequalities in smoking cessation behaviours and outcomes using quantitative and qualitative methods. Her doctoral research was funded by the Society for the Study of Addiction and The Rotary Foundation. Annika is an Associate Editor of Nicotine & Tobacco Research and holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences and a Master of Clinical Science from the University of Adelaide. About Vera Buss: Vera is a Senior Research Fellow in Behavioural Science at the UCL Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group and part of the Behavioural Research UK consortium. Her research focuses on understanding and monitoring tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption across Great Britain, drawing on the Smoking and Alcohol Toolkit Studies to evaluate national policies and population‑level behaviour change. Alongside her research, Vera co‑leads undergraduate and postgraduate teaching on health psychology and statistics for public health. About Leonie Brose: Leonie is Professor of Addictions & Public Health at King's College London and Director of the National Institutes for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Policy Research Unit in Addictions. Most of Leonie's research has focused on tobacco control, smoking cessation, smoking and mental health and newer nicotine products and she has co-authored six government-commissioned reviews on vaping. Leonie is active in the Society for the Study of Addiction, the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco and its European chapter. She also contributes as an Editorial Board member for Addiction and Nicotine & Tobacco Research and as Programme Lead for the MSc Addictions at King's. Leonie is an Associate Editor for Addiction and a Trustee for the SSA. Original article: Associations between the national ‘Swap to Stop’ programme offering free vapes for smoking cessation and quit attempts in England: Results from a population-based survey https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70332 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. Music by Jack Shakespeare Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S4 · E20
May 29 · 17 min
Economic effects of reducing consumption of unhealthy commodities with Damon Morris
In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr Damon Morris, a Research Fellow in the Sheffield Addictions Research Group, School of Medicine and Population Health, at the University of Sheffield, UK. The interview covers Damon’s research article modelling the economic effects of reducing the consumption of unhealthy commodities. The drive to conduct this study [01:30] The economic outputs of interest to capture the net effects of the economy [03:00] What a simulation model is [04:10] An explanation of the commercial determinants of health input-output model [05:06] The unhealthy commodities used in this study [06:20] The key findings of the study [07:28] The difference between the off-trade and on-trade alcohol results [08:50] A summary of the key results [10:22] The break-even reallocation rate: the point at which the negative economic impacts of reduced spending are exactly offset by the positive impacts of increased spending on other products [10:55] The implications of the findings for policy makers [13:10] The generalisability of the findings to outside the UK [14:44] The missing pieces of the model [15:50] 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 voluntary roles at The Loop, a non-profit service provider of drug checking in the UK, and the International Society for the Study of Drug Policy. About Damon Morris: Damon is a Research Fellow in the Sheffield Addictions Research Group (SARG), School of Medicine and Population Health, at the University of Sheffield. Damon’s current research is in the area of public health and labour economic modelling, primarily in ongoing development of the Sheffield Tobacco and Alcohol Policy Model (STAPM), an economic and epidemiological model of alcohol and tobacco consumption and health dynamics used to appraise public health policy. Declarations of interest: None Original article: Modelling the economic effects of reducing the consumption of unhealthy commodities: An inter-sectoral input–output approach https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70336 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. Music by Jack Shakespeare Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S4 · E19
May 22 · 25 min
Deceptive design features of online gambling platforms with Philip Newall
In this episode, Dr Tsen Vei Lim talks to Dr Philip Newall, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Bristol, UK. The interview covers Philip’s opinion and debate article on sludge, dark patterns and dark nudges: a taxonomy of online gambling platforms’ deceptive design features. The rationale behind Philip’s article [01:16] A background on the policy landscape associated with online gambling platforms [06:40] The three features that online gambling platforms use [09:18] The implications of these features for policymakers [14:30] The implications of these features for the gambling industry [17:22] The implications of these features for the people using online gambling platforms [19:46] The end goal of Philip’s research [21:24] 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 Philip Newall: Philip is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Bristol’s School of Psychological Science. Philip completed a PhD at the University of Stirling in 2016, before going on to postdoctoral research fellowships at Technical University of Munich, the University of Warwick, and Central Queensland University’s Experimental Gambling Research Laboratory. Philip’s research applies concepts and research methods from behavioural science to gambling. Philip was a member of the Advisory Board for Safer Gambling from 2021 to 2025, which was an advisory group of the Gambling Commission in Great Britain. In the last three years, Philip has been a named researcher on projects funded by the Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling, Alberta Gambling Research Institute, Arts and Humanities Research Council, BA/Leverhulme, Canadian Institute for Health Research, Clean Up Gambling, Gambling Research Australia, and the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation. Philip has received honoraria for reviewing from the Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling and the Belgium Ministry of Justice, travel and accommodation funding from the Alberta Gambling Research Institute and the Economic and Social Research Institute, and open access fee funding from the Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling and Greo Evidence Insights. Original article: Sludge, dark patterns and dark nudges: A taxonomy of online gambling platforms' deceptive design features https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70085 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. Music provided by Jack Shakespeare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S4 · E18
May 15 · 19 min
How personality shapes the risk of problematic alcohol use with Igor Marchetti
In this episode, Dr Tsen Vei Lim talks to Igor Marchetti, an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at the University of Florence, Italy. The interview covers Igor’s research article that tests which personality traits are necessary conditions for problematic alcohol use, with insights from a 23-year longitudinal study. Why is understanding personality important for alcohol use? [01:18] The personality traits that are associated with problematic alcohol use [02:06] Why Igor and colleagues are looking at the necessary personality traits [03:16] The dataset used in the study [05:15] The key findings from the study [06:29] Low conscientiousness and problematic alcohol use [08:03] The link between impulsivity and conscientiousness [09:31] The necessary conditions to develop problematic alcohol use [11:29] Whether we can change parts of our personalities [13:42] The implications of the findings for policy and practice [15:01] The next steps for Igor and his team [17:00] 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 Igor Marchetti: Igor is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology in the Department of Health Sciences at the University of Florence, Italy. His research focuses on vulnerability to psychopathology, particularly depression, anxiety, and addiction. More recently, he has introduced the study of necessary conditions into mental health research. Original article: Which personality traits are necessary conditions for problematic alcohol use? Insights from a 23-year longitudinal study https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70417 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. Music provided by Jack Shakespeare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S4 · E17
May 8 · 19 min
Tracking the supply of nitazenes on online drug markets with Amy Peacock and Monica Barratt
In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr Amy Peacock, an Associate Professor and Deputy Director of the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, and Dr Monica Barratt, an Associate Professor at Australia's National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University. The interview covers Amy and Monica’s research article examining the availability of nitazenes via cryptomarkets and surface web shops. What are nitazenes? [01:30] What are cryptomarkets? [03:00] Why did Monica and Amy look for nitazenes on cryptomarkets? [04:40] Why nitazenes are popular now [06:12] The key findings of the study [07:41] The change of the main country of origin for nitazenes [10:55] The turnover of cryptomarkets [12:11] The implications of the findings for policymakers in Australia [14:20] The next steps in this research area [17:20] 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 Amy Peacock: Amy is an Associate Professor, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Emerging Leadership Fellow and Deputy Director of the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales. She is also Program Lead for Drug Trends, a national monitoring system identifying trends in illicit drug use, markets and harms that is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. About Monica Barratt: Monica is an NHMRC Emerging Leadership fellow at Australia's National Drug Research Institute (Curtin University), recognised internationally for generating policy and practice relevant insights into the reduction of health harms for people who use unregulated drugs. Monica has published 158 peer-reviewed articles with over 10K Google Scholar citations. Monica's research has been supported domestic and international competitive health-related funds. Her key partners include organisations that represent people with lived-living experience of drug use and peak bodies. She holds editor roles at the International Journal of Drug Policy and Drug and Alcohol Review. Declarations of interest: Monica holds four voluntary roles for community organisations engaged in harm reduction service provision and advocacy. She is the National Research Lead for The Loop Australia, a non-profit service provider of drug checking in Australia. She serves on the boards of directors of three harm reduction charities: Bluelight Communities Ltd (Chair), Students for Sensible Drug Policy Australia (Treasurer), and the Australian Psychedelic Society (Member). Amy has no interests to declare. Original article: Availability of nitazenes via cryptomarkets and surface web shops: An observational study https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70350 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. Music by Jack Shakespeare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S4 · E16
May 1 · 21 min
The use of AI to detect alcohol with Samatha Salim and Benjamin Riordan
In this episode, Dr Tsen Vei Lim talks to Samatha Salim, a PhD candidate, and Dr Benjamin Riordan, a research fellow, both at the Centre for Alcohol policy Research at La Trobe University, Australia. The interview covers Samatha and Benjamin’s article comparing the accuracy of artificial intelligence (AI) models to detect alcohol in video images. What are AI models? [01:18] The context of why this research was undertaken [02:40] Why is it important to detect alcohol in video images? [04:05] The regulations surrounding alcohol in media content [05:57] The three AI models used in the study [08:10] The key findings from the study [11:00] Are AI models better than humans in detecting alcohol in media content? [13:15] The implications of the findings for policy and practice [15:30] The key takeaways from the study [19:29] 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 Samatha Salim: Samatha is a PhD candidate at Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe University in Australia, working at the intersection of artificial intelligence and public health. Her research focuses on quantifying alcohol exposure in films and digital media using scalable AI approaches, including multimodal large language models. By analysing large media datasets, she generates population-level evidence on the prevalence and patterns of alcohol portrayals and their potential influence on behaviour. Her work aims to bridge methodological innovation in AI with public health impact, supporting surveillance systems and informing policy interventions to reduce harmful alcohol exposure in media environments. About Benjamin Riordan: Benjamin is a research fellow in the Centre for Alcohol Policy Research (CAPR). His research interests are broad, but predominantly, he focuses on using emerging and new technologies to understand and intervene with young adults who use alcohol. At CAPR, he co-leads the research stream on alcohol, media, and emerging technology, which focuses on understanding: 1) How is alcohol depicted or discussed in media (e.g., social media, films, music)? 2) What is the impact of exposure to alcohol-related content in the media? 3) What are the opportunities for policy change or interventions? Original article: Comparing the accuracy of artificial intelligence models to detect alcohol in video images https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70337 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. Music provided by Jack Shakespeare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S4 · E15
April 24 · 16 min
Psilocybin microdosing in the United States with Michelle Priest
In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr Michelle Priest, a research project specialist at RAND, US. The interview covers Michelle’s data insight looking at psilocybin microdosing in the US with insights from a nationally representative survey. What is microdosing? [01:09] The importance of looking at the prevalence of microdosing psilocybin in the US [02:52] The state and local policy landscape of psilocybin in the US [03:35] The nationally representative survey that Michelle and colleagues used [06:20] The key findings of the study [07:15] The reasons for microdosing psilocybin [08:26] The temporality of the microdosing questions [09:30] Why people didn’t know whether they microdosed [10:36] Who is microdosing psilocybin [12:02] Some surprising findings from the study [12:55] The implications of the findings for policy [14:00] The next steps in the RAND team for psychedelics [14:29] The take home messages of the study [15:32] About Elle Wadsworth: Elle is an research 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 Michelle Priest: Michelle is a policy researcher at RAND, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization committed to the public interest. Her work focuses on the regulation of emerging markets, especially psychedelic substances. Michelle is a mixed methods researcher with specialized skills in human-centered design and survey methodology. She has B.A.s in economics and linguistics from the University of California, Los Angeles as well as an M.Phil. and Ph.D. in policy analysis from the RAND School of Public Policy. Original article: Psilocybin microdosing in the United States: Insights from a nationally representative survey https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70368 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. Music by Jack Shakespeare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S4 · E14
April 17 · 13 min
Adolescent e-cigarette use under Tobacco 21 policies with James Buszkiewicz
In this episode, Dr Annika Theodoulou speaks to Dr James Buszkiewicz, a Research Assistant Professor and social epidemiologist at the University of Michigan, United States. The interview covers James’s research article covering the associations between county-level e-cigarette-inclusive Tobacco 21 law population coverage and e-cigarette use behaviors among United States adolescents. Tobacco 21 laws and e-cigarette-inclusive Tobacco 21 laws [01:29] The importance of exploring e-cigarette-inclusive T21 laws and e-cigarette use behaviors [03:30] The use of the Monitoring the Future Study [04:25] The key findings of the study [06:34] The expectations and surprising findings from the study [09:02] The implications of the findings internationally [10:54] 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 James Buszkiewicz: James is a Research Assistant Professor and social epidemiologist at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. He applies epidemiologic and econometric methods to study how policies can address structural determinants of health. His research has explored the effects of state minimum wage laws, the built environment, economic shocks from the COVID-19 pandemic, and local, state, and federal tobacco control policies on cardiometabolic health, diet, food insecurity, and tobacco use. A key motivation in his work is a desire to reduce racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic health disparities through data-driven policy change. Original article: Associations between county-level e-cigarette-inclusive Tobacco 21 law population coverage and e-cigarette use behaviors among United States adolescents in Monitoring the Future https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70266 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. Music by Jack Shakespeare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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