Beckley Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Beckley Foundation is a charitable trust
that promotes health orientated cost effective harm reductive drug policy reform. It also investigates consciousness and its modulation from a multidisciplinary perspective working in collaboration with world renowned scientists. The Foundation is based at Beckley Park
near Oxford
, United Kingdom
. The Beckley Foundation was founded, and is directed, by Amanda Feilding, Countess of Wemyss
.
It supports research into the science, health, politics and history of practices used to alter consciousness, ranging from meditation to the use of psychoactive substances. Its activities include directing scientific research programmes, hosting high level international drug policy seminars, hosted at the House of Lords
. It has produced over thirty-five much cited drug policy reports and is at the forefront of national and international drug policy reform. It is currently organizing the Global Initiative for Drug Policy Reform in close association with the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy Reform. For this initiative it has commissioned the first ever Cost/Benefit analysis on a legal regulated cannabis market and a new Draft UN Convention for All Illegal Drugs. There will be a meeting at the House of Lords on November 17-18 at which Heads of State and ministers of countries interested in reform will participate.
It is particularly interested in scientific research that has practical implications in improving health and wellbeing. Current research includes a collaboration with Prof Roland Griffiths at Johns Hopkins University
studying the effects of psilocybin at combating addiction.
and the Beckley Foundation. It advocates the UK denouncing and re-affirming with reservations the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs
, the UN Single Convention on Psychotropic Substances
and the Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances
.
The research programmes initiated by the Beckley Foundation investigate changes in cerebral blood flow, electrical current and magnetic field variations underlying different states of consciousness. Other changes measured include neurotransmitter concentrations, neural immune function, cognition and mood ratings. Using sophisticated brain imaging technologies, new areas can be explored, enabling us to see further into the human brain and the workings of the mind than ever before.
The Foundation is involved in collaborative research projects with leading scientists in the fields of neurophysiology, biochemistry, psychiatry and psychology, at renowned scientific institutions in the United Kingdom
and abroad. Current projects include
Charitable trust
A charitable trust is an irrevocable trust established for charitable purposes, and is a more specific term than "charitable organization".-United States:...
that promotes health orientated cost effective harm reductive drug policy reform. It also investigates consciousness and its modulation from a multidisciplinary perspective working in collaboration with world renowned scientists. The Foundation is based at Beckley Park
Beckley Park
Beckley Park is a stately home located near the village of Beckley, in Oxfordshire, England.It was built in 1540 by Lord Williams of Thame, who also built a great house at Rycote, a few miles away. It was originally built as a lodge for use when the lord and a party hunted the great park...
near Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The Beckley Foundation was founded, and is directed, by Amanda Feilding, Countess of Wemyss
Amanda Feilding
Amanda Charteris, Countess of Wemyss and March, , is a British artist, scientist and drug policy reformer. She is scientific director and founder of the Beckley Foundation, a charitable trust...
.
It supports research into the science, health, politics and history of practices used to alter consciousness, ranging from meditation to the use of psychoactive substances. Its activities include directing scientific research programmes, hosting high level international drug policy seminars, hosted at the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. It has produced over thirty-five much cited drug policy reports and is at the forefront of national and international drug policy reform. It is currently organizing the Global Initiative for Drug Policy Reform in close association with the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy Reform. For this initiative it has commissioned the first ever Cost/Benefit analysis on a legal regulated cannabis market and a new Draft UN Convention for All Illegal Drugs. There will be a meeting at the House of Lords on November 17-18 at which Heads of State and ministers of countries interested in reform will participate.
It is particularly interested in scientific research that has practical implications in improving health and wellbeing. Current research includes a collaboration with Prof Roland Griffiths at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
studying the effects of psilocybin at combating addiction.
Scientific Advisers
- Professor Colin BlakemoreColin BlakemoreProfessor Colin Blakemore, Ph.D., FRS, FMedSci, HonFSB, HonFRCP, is a British neurobiologist who is Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Oxford and University of Warwick specialising in vision and the development of the brain. He was formerly Chief Executive of the British Medical...
- Professor Gustav Born
- Professor Mark Geyer
- Professor Lester GrinspoonLester GrinspoonDr. Lester Grinspoon is Associate Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Grinspoon was senior psychiatrist at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center in Boston for 40 years. Dr. Grinspoon is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American...
- Professor Albert HofmannAlbert HofmannAlbert Hofmann was a Swiss scientist known best for being the first person to synthesize, ingest and learn of the psychedelic effects of lysergic acid diethylamide . He authored more than 100 scientific articles and a number of books, including LSD: My Problem Child...
(deceased) - Professor Leslie L. Iversen
- Professor Yuri E. Moskalenko
- Professor Dave E. NicholsDavid E. NicholsDavid E. Nichols is an American pharmacologist and medicinal chemist.Presently the Robert C. and Charlotte P. Anderson Distinguished Chair in Pharmacology at Purdue University, Nichols has worked in the field of psychoactive drugs since 1969...
- Professor David Nutt
- Professor Vilayanur S. RamachandranVilayanur S. RamachandranVilayanur Subramanian "Rama" Ramachandran, born 1951, is a neuroscientist known for his work in the fields of behavioral neurology and visual psychophysics...
- Professor Trevor Robbins
- Dr Ronald A. SandisonRonald A. SandisonRonald Arthur Sandison was a British psychiatrist and psychotherapist who was a well-known early pioneer in Britain of the clinical use of LSD in psychiatry...
(deceased) - Dr Alexander ShulginAlexander ShulginAlexander "Sasha" Theodore Shulgin is an American pharmacologist, chemist, artist, and drug developer.Shulgin is credited with the popularization of MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, especially for psychopharmaceutical use and the treatment of depression and...
- Professor André Tylee
Policy
The Beckley Foundation's policy initiatives include:- The commissioning, publication and distribution of reports and briefing papers on international drug policy issues.
- The hosting of policy-focused seminars that bring together policymakers, academics and practitioners to discuss international drug policy issues.
- The establishment of Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC), consisting of a network of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and professional networks from around the world.
- The establishment of an International Society for the Study of Drug Policy (ISSDP), a group of academic experts from around the world who have produced notable work on the subject of drug policy evaluation and other relevant issues.
Global Initiative for Drug Policy Reform
The Global Initiative is a collaboration between the All Party Parliamentary Group on Drug Policy, the Global Commission on Drug PolicyGlobal Commission on Drug Policy
The Global Commission on Drug Policy was a 19-person panel which issued an assessment in 2011 of the global war against drugs, saying "it's an abject disaster" according to one report. The emphasis in drug policy on harsh law enforcement over four decades has not accomplished its goal of banishing...
and the Beckley Foundation. It advocates the UK denouncing and re-affirming with reservations the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs
Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs
The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 is an international treaty to prohibit production and supply of specific drugs and of drugs with similar effects except under licence for specific purposes, such as medical treatment and research...
, the UN Single Convention on Psychotropic Substances
Convention on Psychotropic Substances
The Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 is a United Nations treaty designed to control psychoactive drugs such as amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and psychedelics signed at Vienna on February 21, 1971...
and the Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances
United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances
The United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 is one of three major drug control treaties currently in force. It provides additional legal mechanisms for enforcing the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and the 1971 Convention on...
.
Science
The Beckley Foundation Science Programme aims to:- explore the processes that underpin conscious states.
- characterise the attributes of 'normal' human consciousness and determine the changes that occur in pathologically, naturally or chemically altered states.
- evaluate the potential of techniques currently employed in the alteration of conscious states to provide therapeutic and medicinal benefits.
The research programmes initiated by the Beckley Foundation investigate changes in cerebral blood flow, electrical current and magnetic field variations underlying different states of consciousness. Other changes measured include neurotransmitter concentrations, neural immune function, cognition and mood ratings. Using sophisticated brain imaging technologies, new areas can be explored, enabling us to see further into the human brain and the workings of the mind than ever before.
The Foundation is involved in collaborative research projects with leading scientists in the fields of neurophysiology, biochemistry, psychiatry and psychology, at renowned scientific institutions in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and abroad. Current projects include
- The Unconscious Watershed - A neuroimaging study being carried out with University of OxfordUniversity of OxfordThe University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in order to pinpoint the where and the when of conscious, as opposed to unconscious, processing in the brain. - The Neurobiology of Meditative States - A neuroimaging study carried out with Aston University, Birmingham, using fMRI, MEG and MRS imaging techniques.
- The effects of LSDLSDLysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
on consciousnessConsciousnessConsciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
- a study in healthy volunteers to understand how LSDLSDLysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
affects perception and experience. - Brain Blood Flow and Metabolic Changes Induced by Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - A neuroimaging study being carried out with Bristol University using MRI to map the cerebral blood flow and chemical neurotransmitter changes induced by different doses of orally administered THC in human volunteers.
- Physical Correlates of Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness - A neuroimaging study, still under development, looking at the effects of psychoactive substances in experienced subjects on global and regional cerebral blood flow.
- Neural Responses in Depressed Individuals - A neuroimaging study being carried out with the Institute of Psychiatry examining neural responses to emotive stimuli in healthy and psychiatric populations.
- Individual Differences in Anandamide Metabolism - A set of studies being carried out with Oxford University will clarify the relationship between anandamide and essential fatty acids in relation to trait-measures of depression, anxiety and stress.
- Motivational Assessment of Why People Use Drugs - A questionnaire study being carried out with the Institute of Psychiatry comparing 'recreational' and 'problem' young drug users.
- Nutrition and Addiction Research - A controlled trial being carried out with the University of OxfordUniversity of OxfordThe University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
testing the efficacy of nutritional supplements in the rehabilitation of problem drug users.
Major Seminars
- "Drugs and the Brain", Magdalen College, OxfordMagdalen College, OxfordMagdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
(2002). - "The Role of Drugs in Society", Royal SocietyRoyal SocietyThe Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, (2003). - "An Interdisciplinary Perspective on Alcohol and other Recreational Drugs", Cabinet OfficeCabinet OfficeThe Cabinet Office is a department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for supporting the Prime Minister and Cabinet of the United Kingdom....
, Admiralty ArchAdmiralty ArchAdmiralty Arch is a large office building in London which incorporates an archway providing road and pedestrian access between The Mall, which extends to the South-West, and Trafalgar Square to the North-East. It was designed by Sir Aston Webb, constructed by John Mowlem & Co and completed in 1912...
(2003). - "Global Drug Policy - Future Directions", Westminster PalacePalace of WestminsterThe Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
, (2004) - International Drug Policy Seminar 2005), House of LordsHouse of LordsThe House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
, Westminster PalacePalace of WestminsterThe Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
. A three day seminar including the Beckley/Foresight Seminar, reviewing the Foresight Report; the meeting of the International Consortium of NGOs, and the meeting of the International Network of Drug Policy Analysis, renamed International Society for the Study of Drug Policy (ISSDP).
External links
- The Beckley Foundation
- Beckley Foundation Drug Policy Programme
- International Drug Policy Consortium
- International Society for the Study of Drug Policy
- The Beckley Foundation online library, featuring full-text works on research in drugs.