Title: Wellcome Trust Engagement Fellowship
Funder: Wellcome Trust

Abstract: My vision is to use stories around the science of recreational drugs to inform and inspire about the scientific method, about observational epidemiology, and about how such studies are conducted and can be interpreted. I want to help the general public understand the complex interplay between genetics, environmental influences, cultural factors, social class, deprivation and a host of other influences that impact how likely a person is to use various drugs, and to suffer ill consequences from doing so. I want people to be able to look at a newspaper headline about health research and feel confident in interpreting the strength of evidence presented. In my vision, interpreting odds and chances would come as naturally as recalling times tables. We would all know the difference between absolute and relative risk, and be able to interpret a percentage difference. Cultural commentators will no longer wear scientific ignorance as a badge of honour. It will be as acceptable for non-scientists to comment on health statistics or media reports as it is for non-sportspeople to have an opinion on a football match or tennis tournament. Medical scare stories will struggle to gain traction because people can harness powerful tools such as critical appraisal of evidence, allowing us to interpret and understand health information, meaning we can all make more informed choices about our own health and behaviour. At present there is distrust from many towards reports about health research, and as a step to achieve my vision of the future I will consult with these individuals. I will work to identify what the barriers to reaching and engaging with specific individuals or groups of people might be, and will use a people-centred approach to develop methods to try and break these down. The science around recreational drug use is an ideal lens for beginning such dialogues. At present, misleading reports in the field of recreational drugs research are abundant: consider confusing messages around alcohol’s potential health benefits if consumed in moderation; whether cannabis use causes schizophrenia and the debate around the risks or benefits of e-cigarettes. It’s also hugely relevant to society as there are few of us who have never consumed a drug of any kind (be it alcohol, coffee or tobacco, even if not illicit substances). And given the complex interplay between genetic risk and the impact of other environmental factors such as childhood experiences, socio-economic status, stigma, peer influence and lifestyle choices, as well as the biological effects of various drugs, there’s a lot of opportunity to use the topic as a jumping off point for challenging but fascinating discussions about health research more generally. As an emerging expert in the field of epidemiological recreational drug research, combined with a growing public engagement presence in the same area, I am uniquely placed to use my current momentum to conduct innovative and wide-reaching public engagement activities, and secure my place as a trusted expert with regards to information about drug use.


Research activity codes: 7.1 INDIVIDUAL CARE NEEDS
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE;MENTAL HEALTH