Latest news with #DavidNutt
Bloomberg
6 days ago
- Health
- Bloomberg
The Quest for a Hangover-Free Buzz
By David Nutt is an accomplished professor of neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London, but he hasn't always been great at reading a room. In 2009 he was the UK government's top adviser on drugs, a key voice on a council tasked with recommending changes to the nation's drug policies. That was until he argued that the field's greatest challenge, the substance responsible for the most widespread harm, was alcohol. While this would have been considered heresy in many societies, it proved to be an especially untenable position in Britain. He was asked to resign from his government post two days after he shared his views with the press. All these years later, Nutt is quick to clarify that he appreciates the upside of drinking. 'Most people meet their partners with the help of alcohol,' he says. 'It promotes sociability, and there's not much else like it.' What he's been after, he says, is a safer, healthier way to approximate the buzz of booze—something that can deliver the fun bits and skip the addiction, the cirrhosis, the sloppy aggro nonsense. By the time he was on the government council, research had made clear that the root of many problems with alcohol was its neurological complexity, that the good parts were intertwined with the bad ones. Once Nutt had more time on his hands, he decided to try making his own molecule, one that could give him the fuzzy feelings of a couple glasses of wine and leave it at that.
The Independent
04-07-2025
- The Independent
Sensational travel ideas and luxury island stays for 2025
Planning your next getaway? Whether you're seeking serenity in the Castilian hills, diving into coral-rich waters or encountering wildlife aboard a boutique Arctic expedition ship, these travel ideas will thoroughly elevate your year ahead. Find a fresh way to wind down with Sentia Spirits, a functional, alcohol-free drink designed to enhance calm, clarity and connection, without the next-day regret. Whether you're sipping Gaba Gold with tonic by the pool, mixing Gaba Red into a smoky firepit sour, or kicking off a hike with the herbal energy of Gaba Black, this award-winning range is built for modern wellness-led lifestyles. Created by leading UK neuroscientist professor David Nutt, each blend is crafted to support your brain's natural Gaba system using powerful botanicals like hops, schisandra and ginseng. It's not about cutting out joy. It's about mixing it up in style. Functional, flavorful and built for elevated moments wherever you roam. Soak up the other side of Santorini at a volcanic hideaway Folded into the island's dramatic landscape, Magma Resort Santorini, Part of Hyatt's Unbound Collection, invites guests to a serene sanctuary away from the bustling crowds of the Caldera and just a 10-minute drive from Fira. Think sweeping Aegean views from your private pool, Santorinian wine tastings at the hotel vineyard, spa treatments inspired by volcanic soil and soul-soothing morning yoga overlooking the vineyards and sea. Start your day with a champagne buffet breakfast by the infinity pool and dine under the Cycladic stary sky. Interiors nod to Santorini's raw natural beauty, while warm Greek hospitality makes every stay feel personal. With 25% off stays and spa treatments from May to October 2025, now's the time to island escape is waiting at Just a short hop from Rhodes Town, Amus Hotel & Spa offers a sleek, five-star escape for travelers who want both energy and repose. Split between two architecturally distinct buildings, this modern resort delivers everything from poolside ease to pampered privacy. Stay in the main hotel for contemporary comfort across nine room categories, or upgrade to an Amus Suite, where private pools, forest or sea views and a separate check-in lounge bring a refreshing sense of calm. Amus Suite guests also enjoy exclusive access to the Black Pool, a tranquil, adults-only haven, plus full spa facilities, including sauna, hammam and heated indoor pool. A welcome of fruit, fizz and plush towels sets the tone—and thoughtful moments throughout will guarantee your stay lingers long in the memory. Book now Enjoy a leisurely spell on Turks & Caicos On the quiet, lesser-known island of South Caicos, Salterra Resort & Spa invites guests to fully press pause. Here, your suite opens directly to the ocean, your days are shaped by restorative rituals, from halotherapy to tailored couples treatments, and your meals are taken across six distinctive, dazzling dining venues. If you do feel compelled to explore, the in-house team at Adventures by Salterra can guide you through coral reef dives, coastal hikes and salt flat walks that feel like another planet. There's a natural rhythm to life here: slower, gentler and thoroughly grounded. Want one extra day to sink into sublime serenity? Book four nights for the price of three with code LTS at Offer valid until October 31 2025. Seeking real relaxation? Castilla Termal's five-star wellness retreats offer the chance to pause, reflect and restore. Set in some of Spain's most evocative locations—from the medieval monastery of Valbuena in the Ribera del Duero wine region to the lavender-rich hills of Brihuega—these hotels marry heritage architecture with holistic spa rituals and a deep sense of place. Soak in thermal waters rich in abundant natural minerals, savor slow food and local wines or simply breathe in the calm of the Castilian countryside. Every detail is crafted to nurture body and mind, with sustainability woven into every stay. For travelers seeking so much more than room and board, this is a journey within, and a journey worth taking. Plan your escape at Book now Want to see the Arctic in peace? Secret Atlas specializes in Expedition Micro Cruises, taking you far beyond the typical cruise experience. In East Greenland's otherworldly Scoresby Sund, you'll sail past glaciers, fjords and drifting icebergs, and look out for musk oxen, narwhals, polar bears and reindeer. Visit Ittoqqortoormiit, one of the world's most remote settlements, as it celebrates its centenary in 2025, or join a dedicated photography voyage guided by award-winning pros. With no long queues, no fixed itinerary and a profound respect for these fragile ecosystems, you can explore at your leisure—this is the Arctic stripped back and witnessed up close. Solo travelers and private groups welcome. Tailor your Egyptian journey of discovery to uncover the secrets of this fascinating destination—a land rich in ancient history and vibrant cosmopolitan culture. Experience the pulse of the Nile at Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza, your gateway to exploring energetic modern Cairo and discover historic wonders and the Grand Egyptian Museum, the largest archaeological museum in the world. Dive into the Red Sea's hidden treasures at Four Seasons Resort Sharm El Sheikh, a beachfront sanctuary offering not only vibrant marine life but also desert adventures and breathtaking scenery. Alternatively, immerse yourself in a genuine Mediterranean experience at Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria at San Stefano, an idyllic destination to explore ancient history and culture, including the newly restored Greco-Roman Museum and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Book now Set your sights high on an epic Alpine adventure In the mood for a peak experience? The Alps are calling. From Davos to Chamonix, Lech to Cortina d'Ampezzo, the Best of the Alps collection brings together Europe's most iconic mountain towns and villages in one sublime summer offering. Think wildflower meadows, glacial lakes and crisp, pine-scented air, plus charming hotels, scenic trails and mouthwatering farm-to-table cuisine. It's not all about hardcore hiking (though there's plenty of that, too). Local festivals, cultural gems and spa-style relaxation make this a rich, restorative escape. Whether you're chasing adrenaline or craving stillness, these high-altitude havens offer something rare: space to breathe. So, take the high road and discover your perfect mountain escape today at On the sun-kissed shores of Tortola, Long Bay Beach Resort offers the kind of exquisite, easy elegance that turns a week away into a long, deep exhale. This boutique hideaway is all barefoot luxury—think swish beachside villas, wraparound sea views and sand-between-your-toes moments of sheer bliss. Days drift by in a gentle rhythm: sunrise paddleboarding, beachside pickleball, sailing to secret coves, then snoozing to the quiet susurration of waves on a beachfront daybed. Evenings stretch out under golden skies with island fare and Caribbean cocktails. It's a place where summer doesn't just roll around once a year—it's a sensation that stays with you. Book a five-night stay 182 days in advance and save 30% at (t&c's apply)
Telegraph
27-06-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Tell Wes Streeting to leave our genius alcohol adverts alone
Steel yourself for Wes Streeting's bumper summer issue of diktats. His 10-year plan for the NHS is due for publication in a few weeks, and the energetic and engaging Health Secretary will be bouncing around the airways like he's in charge. And one thing said to be in his sights is alcohol advertising. A full ban is not, apparently, being considered, but a spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care says: 'We are exploring options for partial restrictions to bring it closer in line with [the] advertising of unhealthy food.' The current mantra from those who deign to rule over us being that alcohol should be avoided and that it is as heinous as junk food. There was, for example, the recent advice from former Government drugs advisor Prof David Nutt that we should limit ourselves to one glass of wine a year, while the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, seems to think that on the other 364 days of the year we should be rolling spliffs. So with his stated aim of prevention rather than cure, Streeting is gunning for the advertising industry. If a full ban is not on the agenda, then it will doubtless mean no ads for booze before the watershed, the idea being that kids won't then see any dastardly ads on the telly after 9pm because they'll be in bed. Which is, of course, a completely outdated concept because kids don't watch telly anymore. They'll be upstairs on their phones, and if they're being targeted with adverts for junk food and alcohol, that will be the least of our concerns. Yet a ban, partial or otherwise, would be a pointless piece of nanny-statism – not least because it would inflict needless economic damage on the British advertising industry. Which is a marvellous trade, a fabulous part of our creative industries and particularly wonderful because its purveyance of alcohol is ultimately harmless. I mean, do you know anyone who ever bought a drink on the strength of seeing it advertised on television? Or perhaps it's just me, totally immune to the powers of television advertising. Because I have, joyfully, been entertained by adverts for the likes of Heineken, Hofmeister, Skol, Guinness, Martini, Cinzano and a great deal more, yet drink virtually none of those things, while being fairly certain that I've never seen an advert for my favourite tipple of a nice white burgundy. Thus the nanny state seeks to obliterate another chink of our cultural heritage, the TV ad for alcohol, under the guise of preventing alcohol-related deaths. While, ironically, it is Streeting's colleague, Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, who is doing more actively sterling work of preventing access to alcohol by hiking employers' National Insurance and the minimum wage for 18-year-olds, which is closing pubs up and down the country. But let us not be downhearted, and instead celebrate the finest attempts by drinks brands to get us to imbibe. Many of which proliferated during my childhood, which might account for my excellent current relationship with alcohol (if you're interested: champagne at noon, pinot noir with lunch, chardonnay at 7pm). And a gander at many of those ads suggests that, as a nation, we are more class than alcohol-obsessed. There's the famous ad from 1976 for Campari in which a well-spoken Jeremy Clyde pours Lorraine Chase a glass on the terrace at his palatial pad in the Med. 'You wafted here from paradise,' he says. 'No,' she replies in a south London accent, 'Luton airport.' Another notable of the class-clash genre is Paul Hogan of Crocodile Dundee fame, whose adverts for Fosters lager invariably cast him as a rough Aussie brashly invading a posh English scene, such as the ballet, from 1985. 'Strewth, there's a bloke down there with no strides on,' he says. A single sentence which confirms the genius of the ad folk, in this case from London-based Cherry Hedger Seymour, who wrote lines that few of us who watched could ever forget. Similarly, many have forgotten that it was an advert for Castlemaine XXXX where Saatchi & Saatchi created one of the most famous lines in advertising history with: 'Looks like we've overdone it with the sherry.' It's a line that signalled another rich territory for alcohol adverts: the depiction of women as feeble drinkers of things such as sherry while real men slurp beer. This was personified in a commercial featuring a man called Arkwright who says: 'That night when I first saw you at the Three Ferrets, I thought you were the loveliest thing I had ever seen.' His wife, in an apron, ironing behind him, assumes he's talking of her, while, naturally, his declared love is for his glass of John Smith's bitter. And it's a housewife that features in the 1986 advert for Harveys Bristol Cream, this time the wife of Attila the Hun. 'Hello, hon, had a hard day?' she asks, tending the fire as he kicks the door in on his return. 'Positively murder,' he replies. The 1990s, however, saw the advertising industry dragging itself out of an era of post-war stereotypes, creating instead stylish and witty spots for the likes of Guinness: a man dancing as he waits for the head to settle (in 1994) and the acclaimed surfer advert of 1999 by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO. It was directed by future filmmaker Jonathan Glazer, whose other work includes the Stella Artois adverts of the early 2000s, which are also cinematic mini-masterpieces. To Wes and friends these ads are heinous pied pipers to mayhem, illness and early death. But to me our British adverts for booze, which are more brand positioning concepts than anything else, are stylish and witty discourses on society that we can enjoy while sipping a glass of something entirely of our own volition.
Perth Now
02-06-2025
- Health
- Perth Now
Scientist claims that people should only drink one glass of wine a year
People should only drink one large glass of wine per year. Leading scientist Professor David Nutt, a former UK government drug tsar, claims that studies reveal that the maximum amount of wine a person should be drinking a year is 250ml. The boffin suggests that alcohol would fail modern food safety standards if it had been invented today as a result of the harm it does to the body. Professor Nutt - who was sacked from his role as an advisor to Gordon Brown's government in 2009 for claiming that ecstasy and LSD were less dangerous than booze - told the Instant Genius podcast: "I can accept that 40,000 years of alcohol use is precedence but if we invented it today we wouldn't have that precedence. "So what would we do? Well, what we would do is you put your alcohol through food safety testing and it would fail. "It would fail because the maximal recommended amount of alcohol any individual should consume in a year, based on the toxicology, is a large glass of wine per year. "That's why they had to exempt it, because you couldn't put it through normal testing, so that tells you how relatively harmful alcohol is."
Times
30-05-2025
- Health
- Times
More than one glass of wine a year is harmful, says former drugs tsar
For some, one large glass of wine may just be a well-earned reward for getting through another day at the office. However, according to a former government adviser, humans really should only be consuming up to one large glass of wine a year or risk causing themselves harm. Professor David Nutt, a neuropsychopharmacologist at Imperial College London, said that if alcohol was invented today, it would not pass safety checks and would be banned from shops. Speaking on the Instant Genius podcast, Nutt, who was the chief drugs adviser under Gordon Brown's Labour government, said: 'I can accept that 40,000 years of alcohol use is precedence but if we invented it today, we wouldn't have that precedence.' Nutt said on the Instant Genius podcast that alcohol was so damaging it was exempted from normal testing Nutt added: 'So what would we do? Well, what we would do is you would put your alcohol through food safety testing and it would fail. 'It would fail because the maximal recommended amount of alcohol any individual should consume in a year, based on the toxicology, is a large glass of wine per year. That's why they had to exempt it because you couldn't put it through normal testing so that tells you how relatively harmful alcohol is.' The earliest evidence of alcohol use comes from China in about 7,000BC when people would use clay pots to produce drinks made from fermented rice, millet, grapes and honey. The NHS now advises adults to consume no more than 14 units a week, equivalent to about five large glasses of lower-strength wine. • Last orders for post-work drinks as Gen Z shuns alcohol Nutt has long spoken about the harm done by alcohol. In 2009 he was sacked from his role as chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs by Alan Johnson, then home secretary, after claiming in a scientific paper that alcohol and tobacco were more harmful than LSD, ecstasy and cannabis. Johnson said at the time that Nutt had 'damaged efforts to give the public clear messages about the dangers of drugs'. In the role Nutt also clashed with Jacqui Smith, Johnson's predecessor as home secretary, after arguing that taking ecstasy was not more dangerous than horse riding. Last year Nutt also launched a non-alcoholic drink that can replicate some of the feelings of being tipsy. The drink, Sentia Gaba Gold, enhances a neurotransmitter in the brain that produces relaxation and makes people more sociable. However, a recent study from researchers at the University of Barcelona found that those who drank 3 to 12 small glasses of wine a month had a 38 per cent lower risk of heart disease compared with those who drank less than that. It also found that a glass of wine every night halved the risk of suffering heart attacks and strokes compared with people who did not drink.
