Vol 379 January 7, 2012 By John Strang, Thomas Babor, Jonathan Caulkins, Benedikt Fischer, David Foxcroft, Keith Humphreys Debates about which policy initiatives can prevent or reduce the damage that illicit drugs cause to the public good arerarely informed by scientifi c evidence. Fortunately, evidence-based interventions are increasingly being identifi ed thatare capable of making [...]
Latest News
Magic mushrooms, international law and the failed ‘war on drugs’ Amanda Feilding, 7 February 2012 This article was originally published in the Guardian. Click here for full article It’s been a busy fortnight. First the publication of two major peer-reviewed research papers about magic mushrooms that attracted worldwide publicity. Then off to Prague for an [...]
The Beckley Foundation warmly welcomed the Select Committee’s inquiry into drug policy and its invitation to present submissions. Improving drug policy is one of the key policy challenges of our time. The inquiry commenced on 24th January 2012 & began with oral evidence from Sir Richard Branson and Ruth Dreifuss, former President of Switzerland, both [...]
Published in the British Journal of Psychiatry Implications for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study with psilocybin, February 2012 Background Psilocybin is a classic psychedelic drug that has a history of use in psychotherapy. One of the rationales for its use was that it aids emotional insight by lowering psychological defences. Aims To [...]
Download the complete CNA report Contraband routes in Guatemala traditionally controlled by local groups are coming ever more under the control of the Mexican cartels. Around half of the nation’s territory is believed to be under the control of criminal organizations.2 Local criminal organizations have long penetrated the Guatemalan police, army, courts and government, and [...]
Press Release 25th January 2012 The Beckley Foundation-Imperial College Psychedelic Research Programme Surprising findings of Research: Potential therapeutic applications of psychedelic drugs fMRI brain scans show that psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, lowers the activity of specific brain regions. The finding contradicts the popular belief that psychedelic drugs increase brain activity, and has [...]
CARTEL REPORT 2012 Editor’s Note: In this annual report on Mexico’s drug cartels, we assess the most significant developments of 2011 and provide updated profiles of the country’s powerful criminal cartels as well as a forecast for 2012. The report is a product of the coverage we maintain through our Mexico Security Memo, quarterly updates [...]
By Dominic Casciani BBC News UK Home affairs correspondent 24 January 2012 People who smuggle drugs will face more lenient sentences if they have been exploited, under new guidelines. The change in approach on “drug mules” forms part of new comprehensive rules on drugs offences from the Sentencing Council for England and Wales. The council [...]
Amanda Feilding, Director of the Beckley Foundation, has attended the Information Expert Seminar on the Future of the UN Drug Control Treaties, organised by the TNI (http://www.tni.org) and the IDPC (http://www.idpc.net) in Prague, 25-26 January. The seminar will examine the current status of the UN Drug Conventions, and explore the rationales and options for their revision, including [...]
