Drugs without the hot air

Theres a lifetimes worth of knowledge and research to dig into here but thanks to Nutts direct, no nonsense writing style the book also serves as a masterclass in science communication. * BBC Science Focus magazine * Professor David Nutt is the most trusted drug scientist in the world. In Drugs Without the Hot Air, he demonstrates that this distinction is well earned. * Carl Hart, author and professor of psychology at Columbia University * I don't think you could ask for a more sensible, clear-eyed, and useful book about drugs, from the ones your doctor prescribes to the ones your bartender serves you to the ones you can go to jail for possessing. Nutt is not just a great and principled campaigner, nor merely a talented and dedicated scientist - he's also a superb communicator. * Cory Doctorow, Boing Boing * Drugs with the Hot Air is the perfect book for anyone who wants to understand drugs, their risks and benefits. David avoids all the prejudices and misinformation, common in too many documents in this field. He writes simply. He is a pleasure to read. * Baroness Meacher, House of Lords * Written by one of the most distinctive voices in the field, Drugs Without the Hot Air offers the basis for a pragmatic, science-based drugs policy. From alcohol and smoking, cannabis and crack, to the contemporary opioid epidemic, Nutt punctures the myths and tells it like it is. A manifesto and a must-read. * Tim Newburn, Professor of Criminology & Social Policy at LSE * Engaging, informed, contemporary and wise: David Nutt's new edition will inform anyone touched by the myriad psychoactive chemicals we call drugs. That's everyone. * Peter B Jones, Professor of Psychiatr at the, University of Cambridge * The amazing Professor David Nutt has done it again. The must-read second edition has even more drugs and even less hot air! * Prof Val Curran, Director UCL Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit * A clear and reasonable perspective on a complicated and controversial area from an expert unafraid of talking sense to power about addictive drugs, legal or illegal. * Ed Bullmore, Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge and author of The Inflamed Mind * Drugs without the hot air is a highly readable and informative survey of the current state of play on recreational drug use and abuse by one of our leading clinical psychopharmacologists. David Nutt confronts the many controversial issues concerning both legal and illegal drug use, including its political regulation, with a combination of common sense, evidence-based argument and passion. * Trevor Robbins, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge * Professor Nutt takes the reader on a fascinating journey into the history and science of psychoactive substances legal and illegal and explores the disconnect between the science and policy... This book is for anyone interested in learning about drugs and drug policy - it is accessible, engaging, thought-provoking and there is definitely not a hint of hot air. * Niamh Eastwood, Executive Director of Release at the Centre of expertise on drugs and drugs law *

David Nutt is a psychiatrist, chair of DrugScience and the Edmund J Safra Professor of Neuropsychopharmacology in Imperial College London. The Times Eureka science magazine voted him one of the 100 most important figures in British Science. David hosts The Drug Science Podcast, and his writing has featured in numerous publications, including The Guardian, the Lancet and BBC Science Focus.

Preface Chapter endnotes URLs and links Acknowledgements Why I had to write this book Is ecstasy more dangerous than horse riding? How can we measure the harms done by drugs? Why do people take drugs? Cannabis, from the medicine of queens to public enemy number one? Synthetic cannabinoids the problem of spice If alcohol were discovered today, would it be legal? Meow meow should mephedrone have been banned? What is addiction? Is there an addictive personality? Can addiction be cured? Cocaine from chewing to crack Why was smoking banned in public places? Vaping and snus to vape or not to vape? Prescription drugs; the US opioid crisis Can drugs improve physical and mental performance? Psychedelics, and their use in treating depression The War on Drugs, and drugs in war NPS novel psychoactive substances The future of drugs What should I tell my kids about drugs? Useful websites URLs referenced in the text Index