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THE BECKLEY FOUNDATION UPATE: SUMMER 2009 Dear All, It's been an extremely busy period since we last reported on the Beckley 's activities. You'll see from the brief reports below that it's been a particularly exciting time on the science side, with a number of milestones in the research of consciousness and psychoactive substances being passed. It is very rewarding to see how many of the projects that we dreamt of and planned over the years are now coming to fruition. Also, it is possible to detect a shift in the climate surrounding international drug policy, which is very encouraging and hopefully will continue to develop. With best wishes, Amanda Feilding Recently the work of the Beckley Foundation has been featured in two main articles in the New Scientist: Comment: Get Real Drug Czars Like a Hole in the Head: The Return of Trepanation by Arran Frood, New Scientist; 10th June, 2009.
CONTENTS OF NEWSLETTER
SCIENCE In this newsletter we will update you on recent advances in our latest work: • Investigating Altered States of Consciousness Induced by LSD New Projects: • Investigating Changes in Cerebral Blood Flow and Remote Memory Access Brought About by Psilocybin • Investigating The Psychological Effects of THC and the Therapeutic Potential of CBD • Investigating the Effects of Cannabis Use and Creativity • The Treatment of Cluster Headaches Using 2-Bromo-Lysergic Acid Diethylamide • Investigation of the Chemical Content of Cannabis in Medical Use • International Questionnaire on the Benefits of Drug Use Ongoing Projects • Identifying the Brain Correlates of the Subjective Effects of Cannabis that Users Find Beneficial • A Pilot Study of Psilocybin-facilitated Addiction Treatment • Swiss Pilot Study Investigating the Use of LSD in the Palliative Care of the Dying • Investigating Blood Flow and CSF Movement Following Lysergic Acid Diethylamide Ingestion • Psychophysiological Monitoring of States of Consciousness as a Tool for Assistance in Meditation DRUG POLICY • United Nations Commission on Narcotic drugs, Vienna, March 2009 • Latest Beckley Foundation Reports and Briefing Paper, and Submission to the UK Sentencing Advisory Panel: • BFDPP Report 15: Drug Markets and Urban Violence: Can Tackling One Reduce The Other? • BFDPP Report 16: The incarceration of Drug Offenders: An Overview • BF Briefing Paper 17: An Overview of Cannabis Policy: Moving Beyond Stalemate • Beckley Foundation Submission to the UK Sentencing Advisory Panel on Sentencing for Drug Offences • Collaboration on the 1 st meeting of the Brazilian Drugs and Democracy Council OTHER NEWS • Co-publications with the Oxford University Press • The Use of Trepanation in Ancient China • The Beckley Foundation in the Media * * * SCIENCE To go straight to the relevant papers please click on the links. • The Moskalenko Monograph: Investigating Cerebral Circulation, the Aging Process and Trepanation After more than a year in the compiling, we have finally finished the first draft of our monograph, entitled Non-Invasive Evaluation of Human Brain Fluid Dynamics and Skull Biomechanics in Relation to Cognitive Functioning . This provides a comprehensive description of our joint research programme with Prof. Yuri Moskalenko, head of the laboratory of the Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, St. Petersburg . Prof. Moskalenko is a leading pioneer of the ‘systemic' approach to investigating the brain and its functioning. After three years our ongoing programme has developed a unique, non-invasive method of analysing the cranial circulatory system. Our research includes pioneering investigation into how changes in blood and cerebrospinal fluid movement influence our cognition and, in particular, relate to the cognitive dysfunction associated with the aging process. This monograph is intended to be accessible to both scientists and the lay reader interested in the effects of aging on cerebral health and cognitive functioning. We hope the monograph will introduce the concept of cranial compliance to a wider academic audience and so stimulate further research into this complex and vital field of discovery. Our research has also described for the first time the physiological changes that are brought about by trepanation, and how the procedure can improve cerebral circulation by restoring the elasticity of the cranial system. We presented a poster of our work and the m onograph at the 19 th IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics in Paris , on the 5 th of July 2009, which attracted much positive attention. Click here to read the abstract. Since our last newsletter, the following papers have been published in peer-reviewed journals: ¹Moskalenko Y., ¹Weinstein G., ³Feilding A., ³Halvorson P., ²Riabchikova N., ¹Kravchenko T., ¹Panov A., ¹Semernia V. ¹Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry R ussian Acad. Sci. , St. Petersburg , Russia ; ² Department of Biology Lomonosov State University , Moscow , Russia ; ³Beckley Foundation, Oxford , UK . (Proc. of the 14 th World Congress of Psychophysiology “The Olympics of the Brain”. St.Petersburg, 2008) International Journal of Psychophysiology. 2008. v.69, No.3, p.307. Yu. Moskalenko¹, S. Mozhaev, G. Weinstein¹, T. Kravchenko, N. Riabchikova², N. Samus¹, A. Feilding³, P. Halvorson³, V. Semernia, A. Panov, S. Medvedev. ¹Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry Russian Acad.Sci., St.Petersburg , Russia ; ²Institute of the Human Brain Russian Acad.Sci., St. Petersburg , Russia ; and ³Beckley Foundation, Oxford , U.K. (Proc. of the 14th World Congress of Psychophysiology “The Olympics of the Brain”. St.Petersburg, 2008) International Journal of Psychophysiology. 2008. v.69, No.3, p.302-303. Amanda Feilding was interviewed by Louisa Hannan * of BBC Radio Oxford in relation to the new findings of the Beckley Foundation's collaborative research into cranial compliance, aging and the effects of trepanation . Amanda has also been interviewed on the same topic on BBC TV Oxford News and on Bill Haines' programme, BBC Radio Oxford. * ( Audio provided by BBC Oxford ©2009) Also listen to Arran Frood's interview in New Hampshire Public Radio about his article in the New Scientist on trepanation, Alzheimer's and the work of the Beckley Foundation on June 13 th July. • Investigating Altered States of Consciousness Induced by LSD Most psychedelic research today is focused on helping special groups of patients. However, studying disease symptoms is no substitute for studying consciousness. We need to understand why and how psychedelics have their unique effects. In this study we are investigating how psychedelics change consciousness in experienced trippers. Most scientific theories of LSD describe it as increasing ‘noise' in the brain. Our initial results with psychophysical testing suggest LSD isn't increasing noise; in fact, it seems to be decreasing it. This shows science and society need a new theory for what psychedelics do. We focus on measuring how psychedelics change the way brain areas communicate with each other. One possibility is that psychedelics stabilize the interactions between brain areas, allowing vague brief ideas that would normally be on the fringes of awareness to crystallize into consciousness. Interactions between brain areas probably need to persist for at least 100 ms to make it into consciousness. LSD may help this. In measuring interpretations of images using binocular rivalry, our initial evidence is that LSD makes interpretations that are more stable and longer lasting. Of course, an ultimate goal is to understand peak and transformative experiences so that they can be more safe and more available to people. One of the big questions with LSD and other psychedelics is when and how they affect creativity. Phenomena like increased visual imagery and synesthesia suggest psychedelics can help unlock human potential. The only way we're going to find the key to unlocking this potential is with groundbreaking studies like this one. This is the first neuroscientific study to use LSD and human participants since prohibition closed the door to such research. NEW PROJECTS: • Investigating Changes in Cerebral Blood Flow and Remote Memory Access Brought About by Psilocybin Great news, a landmark study for psychedelic research in the UK is now underway! We have recently completed the pilot studies with nine participants in our collaborative research investigating the effects of psilocybin on cerebral blood flow and remote memory access. This is the first study involving a psychedelic substance to be carried out in the UK since prohibition closed this vital avenue of research. Psilocybin is the principal active agent in magic mushrooms, and its efficacy as an aid to the cognitive treatment of addiction is currently being investigated by studies we are currently doing with other collaborative partners in the US . We hope the results from the UK study – which employ the latest brain imaging technology - will develop our understanding of the possible efficacy of the use of psilocybin as an aid to psychotherapy, and also provide understanding of how this substance affects the blood supply to the brain and the further implications that the use of psilocybin has on the emotional recall of old memories. • Investigating The Psychological Effects of THC and the Therapeutic Potential of CBD This collaborative research between the Beckley Foundation and the Institute of Psychiatry , London into the psychological effects of THC and CBD can help us to understand why some forms of cannabis carry considerably higher risk of triggering a negative reaction than other types. In this study, we are investigating the potential of CBD as an anxiolytic and anti-psychotic medication. • The Effects of Cannabis Use and Creativity In line with our principle of also investigating the subjective benefits associated with the use of certain drugs, we have begun an exciting new study into the putative connection between cannabis and enhanced creativity. Anecdotal evidence, particularly from those involved with music and the arts, has long supported this connection. Collaborating with University College London, we are now formally testing this association, and are in the middle of analysing the data from the first 150 participants in this research, which will in total include 600 participants. Early results suggest that there is an association between cannabis and enhanced creativity. Through further analysis we hope to investigate how this association relates to both the chemical make-up of the cannabis used, and also the genetic and personality make-up of the user. • The Treatment of Cluster Headaches Using 2-Bromo-Lysergic Acid Diethylamide Cluster Headaches are a specific variety of extremely painful, debilitating headaches which occur in cycles that can last 4-8 weeks. Whilst we know that the pain associated with these headaches is caused by dilated blood vessels putting pressure on the trigeminal facial nerve, the underlying cause or causes for this are still unclear. Recent insights into the treatment of cluster headaches by sufferers of the condition have identified both LSD and psilocybin as effective treatment options. In our collaborative study in Germany we have tested the effectiveness of Bromo-LSD (a non-psychoactive analogue of LSD) on the treatment of cluster headaches. To our surprise the first six patients to be treated have enjoyed remission from headaches and have not suffered a relapse so far. The goal of this research is to increase our understanding of the underlying causes of cluster headaches and also to develop a treatment plan using Bromo-LSD that will either cure or decrease the pain, severity, and duration of each attack. • Investigation of the Chemical Content of Cannabis in Medical Use In collaboration with a leading dispensary of medical marijuana in California , we are developing a detailed investigation into the efficacy of this medication. The investigation will include an analysis of the chemical make-up of the strains the participants use in order to identify what ratio of THC/CBD, and other factors, makes them most effective. Initially the research will be conducted through the use of a series of questionnaires with patients at the clinic, and will include questions about positive treatment results as well as negative reactions. We will seek to assess which conditions people use marijuana to alleviate, and which strains of marijuana do they find most effective for relieving those conditions. We will also assess the relative merits of marijuana compared to more conventional treatments for these conditions. The questionnaire will also be available online so that the patients can complete it at home after they have taken their medication. Through this research we will build up the biggest database to date on the effiicacy of different strains of marijuana for the treatment of different conditions. • International Questionnaire on the Benefits of Drug Use In collaboration with University College London, we have developed an International Drug Users' Questionnaire , which will pioneer the assessment of the subjective benefits, as well as the harms, that users attribute to their use of different drugs. By providing information on why people choose to use illegal drugs, the data from this questionnaire should help fill one of the gaping voids in policy discussions, which have hitherto been conducted under the assumption that all use is misuse, and that there are no benefits to be gained from drug use. The pilot phase has recently been completed, and shortly, once the improvements identified by this pilot study have been integrated into the questionnaire, it will be ready for its international launch. Ongoing Projects: Although not receiving detailed updates, our other studies continue to chip away at the coalface of consciousness. These include: • Identifying the Brain Correlates of the Subjective Effects of Cannabis that Users Find Beneficial • A Pilot Study of Psilocybin-facilitated Addiction Treatment • Swiss Pilot Study Investigating the Use of LSD in the Palliative Care of the Dying • Investigating Blood Flow and CSF Movement Following Lysergic Acid Diethylamide Ingestion • Psychophysiological Monitoring of States of Consciousness as a Tool for Assistance in Meditation DRUG POLICY On the policy front, the biggest drug policy meeting of the last 10 years was held in Vienna this March, and it's with news of this that we begin: • United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Vienna, March 2009 In 1998 when the world last got together to discuss how best to curtail the use of illegal drugs, the conference ended with the slogan ‘A drug free world – we can do it!'. The history of the last 10 years has shown this ambition to be unrealistic. Depressingly, the picture presented by Antonio Maria Costa, head of the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, was much more positive than many delegates would agree with, as described in Prof. Robin Room's impression of the conference . However, the Beckley Foundation had not come to Vienna to engage in the misleading rhetoric of the plenary meetings. As a UN-accredited NGO the Beckley Foundation was there to present the findings of its Global Cannabis Commission Report. Amanda Feilding was joined by a team of Beckley Foundation representatives including Prof. Robin Room, Prof. Peter Reuter, and Jeremy Sare. Our aim was to promote the Report, and build on the momentum gathered at its launch the previous October, and later extended through meetings with the Mexican and Indian Governments in February. This was achieved through two well-attended seminars and a great many bilateral meetings with national delegates. Overall, the Report was very well received, and we were surprised and impressed by the amount of homework delegates had done on the document, and by the almost universal acceptance of the Conclusions and Recommendations. In addition to the Commission's findings, we were also using the opportunities provided by Vienna to promote the new Draft ‘Framework Convention on Cannabis Control ' , prepared by the Reports' authors. This provides a paradigm for reform at the international level that would enable countries to set domestic policies that better reflect their own individual circumstances. Such was the positive reaction to our advocacy efforts that we have been invited to present the Report's findings to a number of national and international policy reviews including the Dutch Government's Commission on Drug Policy, the Latin American , and the Brazilian, Commission on Drugs and Democracy , as well as the Mexican Congress' debate on drug policy reform, among others. Moving forward, our aim is to continue our engagement with those countries interested in pursuing reform, particularly in Latin America, to persuade them to consider the possibility of following the route of the Draft ‘Framework Convention on Cannabis Control' , or, alternatively, denouncing the international conventions and reacceding with a reservation on cannabis , and so pave the way towards evidence-based cannabis policies that minimise the harms associated with its use. The full Report, entitled Cannabis Policy: Moving Beyond Stalemate , the Extended Summary, the Conclusions and Recommendations and the Draft Framework Convention on Cannabis can be found at: http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/policy/cannabis_commission.html • Latest Beckley Foundation Reports and Briefing Paper, and Submission to the UK Sentencing Advisory Panel: • BF Report 15: Drug Markets and Urban Violence: Can Tackling One Reduce The Other? This report, published in January, explains how large-scale international drug markets underpin violence and social disorder, particularly in poor and underdeveloped countries. This constitutes one of the most grievous ‘unintended consequences' of the War on Drugs, as it further hinders the development of these already fragile countries. The report goes on to explore possible solutions to these problems, whilst emphasising that solutions need to be tailored to the individual countries involved. • BF Report 16: The Incarceration of Drug Offenders: An Overview In this report we provide an overview of some of the available incarceration data from around the world and bring together much contemporary research on the topic. The report analyses the enthusiastic support of incarceration as a drug prevention measure, and suggests that the results of policy decisions within the United States should be used as evidence to encourage other member states not to follow this route. The report also calls for an adjustment of the UN system to make it easier for member states to find other ways of managing the drug problem. • BF Briefing Paper 17: An Overview of Cannabis Policy: Moving Beyond Stalemate The objective of the BF's Global Cannabis Commission was to provide a comprehensive overview of the evidence relating to cannabis in a way that is useful and accessible for policy makers. The resultant Report discusses the drug's production, supply and consumption, the harms arising from both the use of the drug and its prohibition, and the role of the present system of regulation in managing these elements. The Report concludes that current control regimes are either ineffective or inconsistent, and it encourages policy makers to confront these realities and agree a more rational way forward for international cannabis control. It further provides an analysis of how individual countries or a group of countries can best pursue reform at the international level. • Beckley Foundation Submission to the UK Sentencing Advisory Panel on Sentencing for Drug Offences In April 2009, the Sentencing Advisory Panel launched a consultation on sentencing for drug offences. The report produced as a result of this consultation will form the basis of advice given to the Sentencing Guidelines Council, who will then produce a framework to guide the courts when sentencing in this area. The Panel produced recommendations regarding how sentencing for drug offences should be developed, inviting comments on their suggested approach through a structured series of questions. The Panel's acknowledgement that sentences for drug offences are disproportionately high is welcomed. However, the strategies for tackling this imbalance could be taken further. The Beckley Foundation's submission details how the Panel's proposed model could be refined. • Collaboration on the 1 st meeting of the Brazilian Commission on Drugs and Democracy in Rio de Janeiro on 21 st August Other news • Co-publications with Oxford University Press We am delighted to announce that later this year we will be co-publishing with Oxford University Press a book version of the Beckley Foundation's Global Cannabis Commission Report , entitled ‘Cannabis Policy: Moving Beyond Stalemate' . We hope that the prestige and reach of our co-publishers will help ensure that this invaluable and unique Report, together with its seminal conclusions and recommendations are heard by a wide and varied audience. In addition to the Report, the Beckley Foundation is also co-publishing with Oxford University Press ‘Pharmacology of LSD: A Complete Review' by Dr. Torsten Passie. Discussions are also underway concerning the possible co-publication of the collective highlights of the Proceedings Documents which were developed out of the Beckley Foundation Seminar Series. • The Use of Trepanation in Ancient China Following the completion of excavations in 2003 of a 2,700 year-old cemetery-site in north-western China , in which the body of a shaman was found in amazingly good condition with a pot of high-grade cannabis, archaeologists and other experts have been trying to unravel the implications of some of their amazing finds. One such surprise was the discovery of 14 skulls bearing evidence of trepanation. We are preparing a team to work with the Chinese scientists to learn as much as we can about the use of trepanation in this ancient culture. Amongst other things we hope to discover how and why the people of this culture carried out the operation and who underwent the procedure, and thereby deepen our understanding about this, the oldest operation in the world. This study will complement our ongoing research into the physiological effects of trepanation and the possible medical and therapeutic applications of the procedure which we are carrying out in St. Petersburg . • The Beckley Foundation in the Media As highlighted in our last newsletter, the Beckley Foundation has reversed its no publicity policy and is now engaging with the media in order to raise awareness of both the many failings of the ‘War on Drugs', and the possible benefits of altered states of consciousness, particularly in a medical/therapeutic context. To these ends, the last few months have seen the following articles, radio and TV programmes hit the airwaves, and we hope many more will follow! Lessons from the Dutch City trying to 'hash out' pot issue Amanda Feilding talks to Louisa Hannan of BBC Radio Oxford about the new findings of the Beckley Foundation's collaborative research with Prof. Yuri Moskalenko in St. Petersburg into cranial compliance, aging and the effects of trepanation - June 24th 2009 Beckley Foundation issues Global Cannabis Commission Report Like a Hole in the Head: The Return of Trepanation by Arran Frood, New Scientist; 10th June, 2009. Comment: Get Real Drug Czars Tripping Over Red Tape The War on Pot Is an Abject Failure ... Now's the Time for a New Approach The Challenges in Developing a Rational Cannabis Policy
Northside Tonight (Radio Programme) Amanda Neidpath of the Beckley Foundation tells Michael Fitzgerald about the purpose and the objectives of the Global Cannabis Commission. Cultural Baggage Radio Show Lady Neidpath, Amanda Fielding, director of the Beckley Foundation on drug research in the UK is interviewed at the UN drug conference in Vienna by Michael Krawitz Beckley Cannabis Commission Side Event to UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs 2009 La ONU revisa la eficacia de la guerra contra las drogas Drogas: diferentes estrategias * * *
The Beckley Foundation has made much progress in many areas of scientific research and drug policy, but to continue the good work we need your financial support. Please consider donating to the Foundation here .
For more information on these and other projects the Foundation is involved in, visit our website: www.beckleyfoundation.org
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