Prof Nutt on British TV testing MDMA and the Dutch precursor to it
So I managed to find that here in the UK, they will be broadcasting this soon. I have actually interviewed Dr David Nutt for my University Dissertation. Great guy who is the butt of drug jokes herein the media as he is seen as a nutjob.
But this should at least change something.
http://www.factmag.com/2012/09/19/keith-allen-and-lionel-shriver-to-take-mdma-in-live-televised-drug-trial-on-channel-4/
Keith Allen is Lilly Allens' dad, if you've heard her songs. Funny chap.
Well why the fuss? Turns out the Netherlands (Holland to Yanks) have been doing this for 5 years. And stress harm reduction (in the first video there are paramedics talking about harm reduction and take baseline tests etc) and the fact the Govt there lets MDMA/Pills to be tested for purity. Something which would go down well in the UK Rave scene.
Check 'em out. Apologies for some lack of subtitles. I'm sure the actions of the people say it all.
Testing the purity of cocaine
Testing the cocaine
And some eye candy...I've been to this lapdance club, too.
Also the title of the TV show translates as "shoot and swallow". It wins in all places.
Makes me wanna go back to Amsterdam.
But this should at least change something.
Channel 4 are to host the UK’s first ever live televised drug trial.
As The Guardian report, 26 volunteers have been recruited for the show, all of whom will take MDMA and subsequently undergo a series of clinical tests. All subjects are either given MDMA or a placebo; after an hour, readings were taken with an fMRI machine. Subjects also had their brain activity tracked when asked to recall happy or upsetting memories. Among the subjects are former Liberal Democrat MP Evan Harris, We Need To Talk About Kevin author Lional Shriver and goon-of-all-trades Keith Allen.
Study leader Professor David Nutt claimed that Channel 4′s intervention has provided funds and resources which have been impossible to source from more official channels: “We have failed to get money for research from conventional sources, which is why the Channel 4 intervention is fantastic. Nearly half a million people are believed to take ecstasy or MDMA every year in the UK, but there has been very little research into what it does in the brain. These experiments will give us a much clearer picture of the fundamental effects of MDMA on the resting brain than anyone has been able to get before.”
http://www.factmag.com/2012/09/19/keith-allen-and-lionel-shriver-to-take-mdma-in-live-televised-drug-trial-on-channel-4/
Keith Allen is Lilly Allens' dad, if you've heard her songs. Funny chap.
Well why the fuss? Turns out the Netherlands (Holland to Yanks) have been doing this for 5 years. And stress harm reduction (in the first video there are paramedics talking about harm reduction and take baseline tests etc) and the fact the Govt there lets MDMA/Pills to be tested for purity. Something which would go down well in the UK Rave scene.
Check 'em out. Apologies for some lack of subtitles. I'm sure the actions of the people say it all.
Testing the purity of cocaine
Testing the cocaine
And some eye candy...I've been to this lapdance club, too.
Also the title of the TV show translates as "shoot and swallow". It wins in all places.
Makes me wanna go back to Amsterdam.
Comments
It showed both the good and bad sides to MDMA - one surprising one being the effects, as the ex SAS guy saw it as reverting back to the time he was being taught how to resist torture and even drugs (used in interrogations) and so was pretty pissed off and felt rather shit. The Author ended up wishing she had more as both she and the Vice Editor of The New Scientist had very visual experiences and the Ordained Priest just chilled.
They were each given 83mg of MDMA, and the show also featured the history of the drug (from inception to a boom in Texas club scenes - then worldwide and even a part on Alexander Shulgin!). Also featured was a large, transparent brain with different coloured parts to show where the stimulated areas (eg. Visual, Euphoria, a feeling of closeness etc) came from.
The downside to me was they interviewed recreational users, one of which is, I think, a 38 year old guy who "has been taking Ecstasy since he was 14" and he is a total waster. good opinions here and there, but he's had one too many I think. Gave a bad impression but at the end of the day, people like that do use it.
Also there was a Father on there who's Daughter died after taking the drug. So the whole show was albeit slightly rushed (being broadcast live) but gave a good insight.
Tonights installment (27th September) looks at the purity of the average street-purchased Ecstasy pill, and some more of the volunteers who took part in it. Not bad for ~1hr of telly.