How does UK and US drug policy compare? This week’s episode features Ethan Nadelmann, founder of Drug Policy Alliance, the largest harm reduction organisation in the world, working to end the War on Drugs and implement sensible drug policies around the world.
Show Notes
Ethan Nadelmann studied at Harvard University and London School of Economics and was a lecturer at Princeton University. While at Princeton, Nadelmann’s work focused on drug policy, attracting considerable attention with his articles in Science, Foreign Affairs, National Review and many others. He also formed the Princeton Working Group on the Future of Drug Use and Alternatives to Drug Prohibition.
In mid-90s Nadelmann founded the Lindesmith Center, a drug policy institute that six years later became the Drug Policy Alliance, a group for drug policies "grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights.” As the Executive Director of the organisation, Nadelmann advocates for the application of harm reduction principles to minimize the public health effects of the War on Drugs.
In 2021 he launched Psychoactive, a podcast on drug policy, drug use, and drugs research featuring Nadelmann interviewing leading figures in current debates on drugs such as head of the US National Institute of Drug Abuse Nora Volkow, authors Michael Pollan and Andrew Weil.
What’s the future of drug policies? Will tobacco become the next substance politicians will go to war against? Be sure to tune in to find out!
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What is The Drug Science Podcast?
Professor David Nutt has spent a career making the argument for a rational, evidence-based approach to drug policy and drug use. The scientific evidence still challenges perceived wisdom on drugs and for that reason can appear to be contentious. In this podcast, the Professor explores the actual harms and potential benefits of various drugs, challenging myths surrounding classification and legislation, and exploring the societal impact of poorly informed drug policy. Using evidence in public policy should not be controversial. A podcast for anyone interested in understanding the scientific truth about drugs, free from political or moral concern.