Professor Jo Neill joins the leading independent scientific body on drugs in the UK

For the past 18 months Professor Jo Neill has organised public events at the University and other locations around the country, raising awareness of the harm caused by prohibition of currently illegal drugs, in particular the synthetic endocannabinoid known as ‘Spice’.

Currently people who misuse drugs – often some of the most marginalised people in society – are dealt with from a criminal rather than a medical standpoint which is one reason that Jo advocates strongly for new regulations.

Drug Science (DS) was founded by Professor David Nutt and brings together experts who specialise in substance harms and effects. The leading independent scientific body on drugs in the U.K, DS recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, and Jo has been made a new committee member for the organisation. Over the next year Jo will focus her efforts on drug law reform during a sabbatical, where she will work closely with new colleagues at DS and here in Policy.

Jo was welcomed as a new committee member at a 10th anniversary celebration event at the House of Lords on an evening well attended by members and trustees of DS, among others. David Nutt spoke about some of the fantastic work DS have done over the past 10 years and about some of their new initiatives, including providing training for GPs and health care professionals on medical cannabis prescription. This initiative has already begun with seminars held around the UK, including here at the University 17 July.

Also speaking was Hannah Deacon, mother of Alfie Dingley, who discussed her campaign to get cannabis oil treatment for her son, who has a life-threatening from of epilepsy. Hannah found that cannabis oil dramatically reduced seizures in her son where all other treatments had failed. The campaign process, much of which was played out on national media, was a roller coaster of emotion for the family but has now contributed to the partial legalisation of medicinal cannabis in the UK in November 2018.

Speaking about this law change, Jo said: “Legalisation of medical cannabis – a plant with known medical properties- is the first step towards a more rational approach to drug policy. Many other currently illegal drugs such as MDMA (Ecstasy) and Psilocybin (the active ingredient of magic mushrooms) also have enormous medical value, particularly for currently hard to treat mental health conditions such as PTSD and major depressive disorder. During my sabbatical I’ll be working with colleagues in psychology, law and policy on a drug policy that enables research ultimately ensuring access to these drugs for the people who need them most.”