Professor David Nutt-Seeing through the smoke

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Cannabis (seeing through the smoke) By Professor David Nutt 

First Published in 2021, this book truly goes to extraordinary bounds to bring the full picture of cannabis to the table.  This is a review and an exploration of his book.

By Tom Tripp

I feel it’s important to recognise who’s work we are dealing with. This isn’t your standard coffee table read, written by a third party who’s read some information and compiled it into a new format. Professor David Nutt is one of the worlds most renowned scientists and is a student/teacher of psychopharmacology. Born in 1951, he would go on to study at Downing college in Cambridge, Radcliffe hospital in Oxford, and then ultimately travel stateside to pursue further education. Truly a man of science. His first eye-catching paper was published in Nature magazine in 1982 in relation to the long-term effects of benzodiazepines on the body. Most of his career has been spent studying and lecturing about the effects of different substances on the brain and nervous system, to varying amounts of adoration and undesirability from governments. One such paper that caused controversy was one in 2010, published in The Lancet, in which he described alcohol to be alarmingly more damaging to the body than even ecstasy and amphetamine. He was also hired by the British government during the mid-2000s to perform research on cannabis as a medicine, and they disliked his findings. When he stood up for his studies and the information, he was ultimately fired and replaced.

Now, it’s fair to say Professor Nutt has been a student of substances for quite some time. His first book, Drink? Investigates all the different aspects of alcohol- from the benefits of social drinking and how it plays a part in an everyday life, to how the effects literally happen on the body, to the long-term health effects and includes several case studies from the UK and around the rest of Europe. But really cannabis has clearly been his awakening and where he really thrives, and thus his newest book , Cannabis (seeing through the smoke) is born.

The book itself stands in a beautiful off white (or cream, depending on which edition you may encounter) and runs at a not unimpressive 278 pages of facts, knowledge, and wisdom. When you open to the contents page, each title stands out in bold, to give note to each its own importance. The book effectively breaks down its categories to sections.

The first section is aptly titled ‘The cannabis story’ and straight away gets into the history of the production and use of cannabis across the world. These highly detailed chapters discuss all factors in relation to past and current laws in the UK, how the governments have come to the decision to giver cannabis its class rating. Having this topic spread across three chapters really encourages the reader to understand the complex societal issue we have in terms of freedom of information, and choices we can make for our own health, and how stunted these choices have become. Conversely, this section also discusses the risk to health, siting evidence and facts Nutt has collected along the way. Given the fact he has dedicated his life’s work to substances and their neuro-related impacts, this is a massively important part of the book, and requires the most attention in my opinion. The whole way through the book David Nutt gives us a fair and balanced view of cannabis from as many facets and angles as possible, and this just re-enforces his credibility in my eyes. He’s not a single page, this man wants to present all the facts and allow the reader to have that power we call knowledge.

The second section talks specifically with the science side of cannabis, breaking down what it is a plant, what THC and CBD are, as well as detailing the different compounds that make up the plant we all know and love. Throughout the three chapters that put this section together, we study ourselves from the inhale, through the physical and psychological changes our bodies undergo, all the way through looking at addiction and what can lead to this, and what truly happens when we take cannabis.

Section three I believe is going to be the most beneficial to people- Cannabis as a medicine. This is the holy grail of weed scripture. Here we can devour all the relevant information on health regulations, guidelines, projects, and clinics that are involved with legal cannabis. If you use this section wisely, you’ll have access to a font of knowledge. David also gives us one very unfortunate case study involving our then prime minister Theresa May (Just one of the pearls on the string that is our ever-favourable Tory party!). This section is also fantastic to show a non-cannabis user. Using the information here, along with the case study, you can present a well-informed, reasonable, and valid projection of how cannabis works and its benefits. This is valuable information, especially in a time of fake news and headlines.

The final section of the book is about harm and risk reduction. Again, another font of knowledge. And like we’ve discussed previously; David strives to put forward both sides of the debate of cannabis and acknowledges the dangers as well as the benefits. This is capped off nicely by suggesting a way forward with cannabis policy.

I haven’t truly done this book justice. All I’ve done here is outline what the book talks about. What I’ve neglected to mention is the wealth of knowledge and experience Professor Nutt draws on. His admirable journey has cost him dearly, from damaging his reputation to thus hindering his growth and personal finance. All in the name of truth, science, and most importantly, Humanity. David talks with charm and humour along the pages, his tone fully coming through. I’m not just recommending this book as someone who actively consumes cannabis. I’m recommending this book as a father who knows that one day I will need to present my children with facts and knowledge so they can make their best decisions. I’m recommending this book because I remember my parents worried about my cannabis consumption in my teen years. And I’m recommending this book because the information you’ll read in here is honest and true, and it’s what you’re not being told. Get the whole picture and find out for yourself if you’ve been given all the facts.

Book is available in hardcover from Waterstones and Amazon at £16.99

Written by Tom Tripp

Pictures taken from Google.

Information on David Nutt’s early life from the About the author section of the book.

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