Psychoactive drugs for better health? Fact or furphy? Are you curious about the explosion of interest in psychedelics? How do you navigate the latest...

The Future of Drugs

Location:

The Great Hall, Level 5, Tower Building
2007 NSW
Australia

Venue:
Vivid Ideas Exchange - UTS, The Great Hall
The Future of Drugs
The Future of Drugs

Featuring

Jenny Valentish

Jenny Valentish

Jenny Valentish is a journalist whose third book, Woman of Substances: A Journey Into Addiction and Treatment, interviewed researchers, clinicians and neuroscientists about the nature of addiction, using her own history as a case study. It was nominated for a Walkley Book Award and she has since become a consultant in the treatment sector, giving keynotes at conferences and providing workshops to services about exploring the lived-experience story. She is a board director of SMART Recovery Australia.

Margaret Ross

Margaret Ross

Dr Margaret Ross PsyD is the Chief Principal Investigator and clinical lead for Australia’s first psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy study treating depression and anxiety in the terminally ill.

Her study is a world first investigating psilocybin assisted therapy for all palliative conditions, and sees Dr Ross pioneering a new frontier in psychedelic medicine.

Dr Ross combines oversight of this ground-breaking trial with palliative medicine clinical work in her role as Senior Clinical Psychologist and Researcher at St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne and also trains clinicians in emerging psychedelic assisted therapy drug trials.

Iain McGregor

Iain McGregor

Iain McGregor is Professor of Psychopharmacology and Academic Director of the Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics in the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney, Australia. Iain's research is focused on the discovery and development of new medications. The discoveries of his team around the use of oxytocin-like molecules to treat addiction and social withdrawal led to the successful spinoff company Kinoxis Therapeutics. Iain has more than 300 peer-reviewed publications and multiple patents.

Samuel Banister

Samuel Banister

Dr Samuel Banister is Chief Scientific Officer at Psylo; Australia's first biotech start-up focused on the enormous potential of psychedelic medicines for treating mental illness.

 Sam has been researching the therapeutic potential of psychoactive substances for more than 15 years at leading academic institutions (University of Sydney, Stanford University, UNSW) and biotech start-ups (Tranquis Therapeutics, NaluBio, Psylo) in Australia and the US.

  His work on the medicinal chemistry of so-called "designer drugs", as well as the chemicals found in cannabis and psychedelics, has been published in leading journals and major newspapers.

Access and Inclusion

  • Auslan Interpreted - Auslan interpreted events are for audiences who are Deaf and use Australian Sign Language (Auslan) as their primary means of communication. Experienced Auslan theatre interpreters stand to the side of the stage and translate what the speakers are saying or Auslan signing the text and dialogue live. Audiences requiring this service are seated in the section closest to the interpreter to ensure good sightlines.
  • Companion Card Acceptance - The Companion Card is for people with a significant permanent disability, who always need a companion to provide attendant care type support in order to participate at most available community venues and activities.
  • Hearing Loop - A hearing loop (sometimes called an audio induction loop) is a special type of sound system for use by people with hearing aids. The hearing loop provides a magnetic, wireless signal that is picked up by the hearing aid when it is set to 'T' (Telecoil) setting. Many venues have an induction hearing loop system. Check if your venue has this system.
  • Wheelchair Accessible - Access to the venue is suitable for wheelchairs (toilets, ramps/lifts etc.) and designated wheelchair spaces are available.

Event Details

Psychoactive drugs for better health? Fact or furphy?

Are you curious about the explosion of interest in psychedelics? How do you navigate the latest debates around decriminalisation, legislation and medicalisation of illicit drugs? Join three of Australia’s leading experts as they unpack the latest therapeutic breakthroughs and research into psychoactive medicine.

Hear from the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre Academic Director of the Lambert Initiative and Professor of Psychopharmacology Professor Iain McGregor and his colleague Dr Samuel Banister on the potential benefits of medicinal cannabis for addiction-related issues, mental health and treating neurological disorders. The pair investigate why pharmaceutical psychiatric drug production has plummeted over the past decade and how 'Big Pharma' is now changing its tune on the therapeutic use of currently illicit psychoactive plants and drugs.

You’ll also hear from St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne’s Lead Therapist and Chief Principal Investigator Dr Margaret Ross who is running Australia’s first psychedelic clinical trial using psilocybin (the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms) to help shift terminally ill patients’ perspectives on life, and death.

This mind-expanding session is moderated by Jenny Valentish, a journalist, author and advocate with a deep interest in mental health, addiction and substance abuse.

Come prepared to be stimulated. There will be plenty of time for questions, so join the conversation about the future of drugs and discover how they could benefit you and many others.

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Access and Inclusion

  • Auslan Interpreted - Auslan interpreted events are for audiences who are Deaf and use Australian Sign Language (Auslan) as their primary means of communication. Experienced Auslan theatre interpreters stand to the side of the stage and translate what the speakers are saying or Auslan signing the text and dialogue live. Audiences requiring this service are seated in the section closest to the interpreter to ensure good sightlines.
  • Companion Card Acceptance - The Companion Card is for people with a significant permanent disability, who always need a companion to provide attendant care type support in order to participate at most available community venues and activities.
  • Hearing Loop - A hearing loop (sometimes called an audio induction loop) is a special type of sound system for use by people with hearing aids. The hearing loop provides a magnetic, wireless signal that is picked up by the hearing aid when it is set to 'T' (Telecoil) setting. Many venues have an induction hearing loop system. Check if your venue has this system.
  • Wheelchair Accessible - Access to the venue is suitable for wheelchairs (toilets, ramps/lifts etc.) and designated wheelchair spaces are available.

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