Following the SARS virus outbreak in 2003, various studies detailed increased cases of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. As the outbreak of the current COVID-19 pandemic, a coronavirus similar to SARS, continues to wreak havoc across the planet, an opinion piece in The Sacramento Bee suggests psychedelic therapy as a means to treat emotional … Continued
Volteface is delighted to announce the launch of Pleasant Lands, a campaign to unlock the hemp opportunity for UK farmers and small businesses. Hemp is a versatile, environmentally beneficial and high value crop that should be making a significant contribution to the UK economy. However, it remains classified as a niche crop – with … Continued
In an effort to reduce the record number of drug-related deaths in the UK, there have been repeated calls for the introduction of supervised injection facilities (SIFs), but are we any closer to actualising them? Kaleidoscope CEO Martin Blakebrough makes the case for establishing a peer-led SIF in Wales, considering the hurdles previous models failed … Continued
In the run-up to Lowlands last year, a Dutch festival with a lineup packed full of the likes of Tame Impala, New Order and Live Electronic Godfather Paul Kalkbrenner, Lara Smit visits the Jellinek drug-testing facility in Utrecht with a key question: Does Government Funded Drug-Testing in the Netherlands Prevent Deaths? “If my … Continued
A crisis such as this forces pressing issues to the foreground, issues that governments have long avoided taking sufficient measures to solve. Our under-funded health surface, often cruel welfare system and unacceptable numbers of street homeless are now frighteningly visible to all. But, as the country faces a shutdown unparalleled in living memory, we … Continued
Five years ago, Jerusalem-based, Australian investigative journalist, author and film-maker Antony Loewenstein turned his attention from Disaster Capitalism, his book and film, to the war on drugs. In his new book, Pills, Powder and Smoke: Inside the Bloody War on Drugs, he investigates the consequences of politically manufactured conflict at front lines across the … Continued
More young people are seeing drug adverts on social media, but what impact is this having on young people? And why has it taken us so long to catch on? Liz McCulloch, Director of Policy and author of DM for Details: Selling Drugs in the Age of Social Media, is in conversation with Nick … Continued
Last week the Volteface team headed to the Docklands for the second annual Big Tent Ideas Festival at Mudchute Farm. To ensure cannabis reform was on the festival’s agenda we hosted ‘In Conversation with Andrew Boff’. London Assembly member Boff, a long term advocate for cannabis reform, sat down with current Editor of Byline … Continued
I spent nine years supporting one of the most vulnerable groups in our society, problematic drug users. From daily injecting heroin users, to young people smoking countless grams of cannabis a week, their stories on why they were addicted to the drug made perfect sense. No-one told me they ‘just tried it once and now … Continued
In September, Volteface published its seminal report The Children’s Inquiry examining how effectively the UK’s cannabis policies are safeguarding young people. The report was a wide-ranging examination of how easily young people are able to obtain cannabis and the type of cannabis they are using, the repercussions of this for their wellbeing and the support … Continued