Substance Stories

Most people think vaping is worse than cigarettes. They've got it backwards. Vaping is much, much less harmful than smoking, that's not an opinion, that's what the evidence shows. Now, that doesn't make vaping good.

It absolutely hooks you on nicotine, and that can convert into cigarette smoking, especially for teens. But if someone's already a smoker and can't quit? Vaping is the better option.

Want to quit nicotine for good? The most effective tool isn't willpower or even vaping, it's a medication called varenicline, paired with quit counselling.

One injection a month — sometimes stretched to every six or seven weeks. Long-acting injectable buprenorphine is quietly changing what opioid agonist therapy looks like. Dr. Richard Bradlow breaks down why methadone and buprenorphine aren't 'just another drug' — they're evidence-based medicine that cuts overdose risk and keeps people out of hospital.

Cannabis harm reduction — the facts people don't want to hear. 🌿Dr. Richard Bradlow breaks down what the evidence actually says:🫁 Smoking method matters — dry herb vaporising and edibles are far easier on your lungs than bongs🚫 Holding smoke in? It increases lung damage with zero extra effect⚠️ THC is directly linked to psychosis and schizophrenia risk — this is well established🤢 Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome is real — and the only way out of it is to stopHarm reduction only works when it's honest. This episode of Substance Stories gives you the evidence-based reality — no moralising, no myths.

Harm reduction saves lives — and it starts with honest information. 💙In this episode of Substance Stories, Dr. Ferghal Armstrong covers the essential opioid safety advice that doesn't always get said out loud:→ Why mixing opioids with benzos or alcohol is how most overdose deaths happen→ The tolerance drop risk after hospital or prison discharge→ How to get free naloxone from your pharmacy — and why you should carry it→ Why drug checking matters when you can't know what you're actually using→ Safer use practices that reduce the risk of bloodborne infections and serious injuryThe goal isn't judgement. It's keeping people alive and informed. 🎥 Watch the full video — link ion screen#HarmReduction #OpioidSafety #SubstanceUse #AddictionMedicine #NaloxonesSavesLives

The reality of benzodiazepine withdrawal that every patient should know 👇• Physical dependence develops in just 4 weeks• Daily use for 3 months can cause BIND• Neurological dysfunction can last 2 years post-cessation• Withdrawal can be life-threateningDr. Richard breaks down the clinical reality of benzo dependence and why tapering must be done slowly and safely.

Most people think they lack motivation to exercise. But here's what they don't tell you: motivation isn't the problem.

I'm joined today with exercise coach Steph Saltis, we're revealing why someone can enjoy lifting 300 kilograms while another person hates every second under a 20-kilogram bar — and it has nothing to do with genetics. The real difference? It's not what you think.

By the end of this video, you'll understand the hidden psychology that transforms someone from 'going to the gym once' into a lifetime exerciser who actually misses it when they don't train.

One episode of stimulant-induced psychosis can permanently change your brain. Here's what Dr. Richard Bradlow wants you to know: If you experience psychosis from stimulants like cocaine or amphetamines just once, you're much more likely to get it again. And here's the terrifying part — if it happens enough times, you won't even need the drugs anymore. You'll develop an enduring psychotic illness, essentially schizophrenia. That's why one episode is an absolute line in the sand. You need to stop immediately and get help, because your brain has shown it's vulnerable. The dopaminergic effects of these drugs create a pathway that becomes easier to trigger each time. Want more? Check out our MedHeads YouTube channel.

Did you know alcohol withdrawal is one of the few withdrawals that can be deadly? 😳

In our latest SubstanceStories episode, Dr. Bradlow breaks down practical harm reduction strategies for Australia's most commonly used (and most harmful) drug.

From the surprising truth about standard drinks (spoiler: that bottle of wine isn't 4!) to why eating before drinking actually changes absorption rates.

What's your go-to harm reduction tip when drinking? 👇

Here's a myth that's literally killing people: 'Teaching someone how to use drugs safely encourages drug use.' The neuroscience tells us the complete opposite.

When we activate the prefrontal cortex through education and planning — the same brain region damaged by addiction — we're actually strengthening the neural pathways responsible for impulse control and decision-making.

Countries with comprehensive harm reduction see 37% fewer overdose deaths and 42% higher recovery rates.

And by the end of this podcast, you'll understand exactly why harm reduction isn't enabling addiction — it's rewiring the brain for recovery.

Think addiction recovery is all about willpower and changing yourself? Your brain disagrees.

New neuroscience research shows that 73% of relapse occurs not because of personal failure, but because we're fighting our environment with our prefrontal cortex tied behind our back.

The most powerful predictor of sustained recovery isn't motivation or mindset — it's actually something happening outside your skull.

And by the end of this podcast, you'll understand exactly why changing your ZIP code might be more important than changing your mindset.