Stop and Search

Sir Simon Jenkins was one of the first journalists to cast a questioning eye over the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. We were very lucky to be invited into Sir Simon's house where we have a very interesting discussion on the historical aspects of our drug laws and how they work in today's society. Writing for The Guardian and author of many books on history, it's fair to say that Simon is one of the country's most respected writers.

We're joined by Neil Woods, former undercover drugs detective, author, and Chair of LEAP UK, and also JS Rafaeli, journalist and co-author of Good Cop, Bad War and Drug Wars.

In this conversation we delve into the history and legacy of the 'drug war', how the US coerced Britain into this approach, and how the 'British system' was our preferred method of treating those who may suffer with heroin addiction - so what exactly is the British system? JS and Neil really do lend us a great deal of perspective in this conversation given their research for the book Drug Wars which provides an overview of how and why we've reached the place we have with regards to a harmful drugs policy.

We say it every time... but this is truly a fascinating podcast!

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Fully legal weed: For about a month cannabis has been legal and on sale in Canada - so what's really going on? We're joined by Jon Hiltz, journalist and author of the new book The Wild West: Canada's Legalization of Marijuana.

Did the country really run out of cannabis in the first days of general sale? How do the citizens feel about being the first G7 country to have a fully legal system for marijuana? Any teething trouble? And what more can we expect? We cover a lot of ground in this lovely chat. It's really important we hear from people on the ground on these issues, so many thanks to Jon for taking the time to speak with us on Stop and Search - we learned a lot.

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What are the real causes of depression in society and individuals? And what part do these factors play in addiction and mental health?

We're joined by author Johann Hari as we discuss his latest book, Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions.

You may have heard Johann on our Stop and Search podcast before, but now we delve further into the causes of society's mental health. With suicide rates increasing, how can we create more connections in a time where we're seemingly more connected than ever through technology? What's going on?

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We're literally inviting you to join us at a real London cannabis members club, but not only that we're joined by:

Arfon Jones - Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for North Wales

Greg de Hoedt - Chair of the UK Cannabis Social Club movement, known as the UKCSC

Dr. Melissa Bone - Lecturer at the University of Leicester, academic, and very knowledgeable on human rights

Yes, we're actually at a fully functioning London cannabis social club! This is an exclusive episode and we're lucky to have had privileged access. We're talking about what the UK cannabis social club model looks like; can it work in the UK? Will human rights play a role like it has in other countries? Can this model of reform be supported by the police? And will the UK adopt this pioneering method of drug policy reform?

There's a lot going on in this episode, and it may be the first time you hear someone coughing on a podcast after taking a strong cannabis dab...

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A very special episode on Ireland where we're joined by:

• Tony Duffin - CEO of Ana Liffey Drug Project
• Emmet Kirwan - Playwright, actor, writer, spoken-word artist, and star and writer of Dublin OldSchool

We're talking about Ireland and the major changes that have been taking place, both in drug policy and in wider societal reforms.

Tony Duffin also gives us an up-close perspective about Safe Injection Facilities in Ireland, as well as growing calls for decriminalisation for those who possess and consume drugs.

We're also very lucky to have a much needed cultural perspective from Emmet Kirwan. As someone involved in the arts, Emmet has a keen eye on social developments and what it takes for a community to change its mind on hot topics, such as drugs.

This really is a perfect blend of guests! Follow the hashtag #SaferFromHarm on social media and get involved. The conversation in Ireland is getting louder each day around drug policy reform, so let's find out why!

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What differences do women face when it comes to substance use, addiction, and treatment? We could not be more thrilled to speak to two very knowledgeable women:

• Jenny Valentish is a journalist and author originally from the UK who now lives in Australia. She's the author book 'Woman of Substances: A journey into drugs, alcohol and treatment'.

• Milly Chowles is a radio reporter and producer. Having worked on BBC Radio 4's Women's Hour, Milly has produced a series called 'The Fix' which gives personal insight into women in recovery.

Both Milly and Jenny are so beautifully honest in this conversation, both of them having had their own experiences with addiction. It's interesting to hear about the differences in language and treatment options. This is truly a fascinating conversation.

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We're joined by author Laurie Penny, Channel 4 News reporter Anja Popp, and Executive Director of Release, Niamh Eastwood, as we discuss the worrying statistics that drug related death in women continues to increase. Why?

Consecutive years have shown that we've an alarming trend - when we recorded this episode female drug related deaths had seen an a 95% increase, and yet women consume less drugs than men. And these figures are backed up too as we've recently seen yet another rise. We really have to talk about this...

Join us as we take a long look at the many factors at play here - how we can save more lives?

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Recorded live from the parliamentary estate we chat with Crispin Blunt MP, Ronnie Cowan MP, and Thangam Debbonaire MP - this is the Parliament Podcast on the award-winning Stop and Search.

There's a lot going on in drug policy at the moment and we are very lucky to have this rare and special opportunity to record a podcast with MPs who are at the forefront of drug policy reform in their respective parties:

• Crispin Blunt, Conservative MP for Reigate
• Ronnie Cowan, SNP MP for Inverclyde
• Thangam Debbonaire, Labour MP for Bristol West

We speak about the current happenings in drugs, Westminster, the media, public opinion, and much more.

We also have special guest commentary from LEAP UK Chairperson Neil Woods, as well as Release Drugs' Executive Director Niamh Eastwood, and Transform Drug Policy Foundation's Senior Policy Analyst Steve Rolles.

This is a very special episode...!

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Channel 4 News Asia correspondent, Johnathan Miller, has seen firsthand what's going on in the Philippines with over 10,000 deaths through extrajudicial killings. The president, Rodrigo Duterte, is also known by his nickname Duterte Harry due to his swagger, violent style, and his brutal war on drugs.

Jonathan has written an extremely brave biography of the Philippines leader who has a bizarre legacy of referring to global figures as "son of a whore", he also holds press conferences at four in the morning where he rambles on for hours simply to amuse himself, it's fair to say Rodrigo Duterte is certainly an interesting character.

It perhaps goes without saying that the number of people dead due to Duterte's orders is the most concerning aspect to this issue... but another world leader has praised this policy of death and destruction. President Trump recently congratulated Duterte on his drug policy!

Join us as we cover a lot of ground with Jonathan Miller, from his own experiences with Duterte, including joining the prestigious 'son of a whore' club, to the many people in the Philippines who he's come into contact with during the course of writing the book.

Let's talk about Duterte Harry - recorded in front of an audience at Waterstones Tottenham Court Road.

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We're speaking to Laurie Penny! Author, journalist, activist...

Laurie has recently published Bitch Doctrine, a book of essays which covers gender, diversity, social justice, and many other themes which are relevant to drug policy. After reading Laurie's book, I had to invite her on for a chat.

Writing for the New Statesman, Laurie has covered drug policy in the past, but there are many overlapping factors which we address in this podcast, such as: Do we have enough diversity in the media? Is there such a thing as the 'wrong side of history'? And what can we learn from other social movements such as suffrage?

Have a listen, and please do share, subscribe and give us a nice rating if you fancy it.

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