Samuel Banister – The Conversation

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May 20, 2021

Why the TGA should reschedule MDMA and psilocybin for the treatment of mental illness

Sarah-Catherine Rodan, University of Sydney and Samuel Banister, University of Sydney

The TGA is considering a proposal to reclassify psilocybin and MDMA from their current status as prohibited substances. This would allow psychiatrists to use these drugs to treat mental illness.

Users may or may not know they’re taking MDPV. from www.shutterstock.com

January 15, 2019

Weekly Dose: new drug MDPV, or ‘monkey dust’, found in Australia. What is it and what are the harms?

Samuel Banister, University of Sydney and Richard Kevin, University of Sydney

Monkey dust is in the “bath salts” family. Here’s what that means.

Synthetic cathinones are sometimes sold as “bath salts” or “plant food”, but are intended to be snorted or swallowed for their psychoactive effects. Shutterstock

May 4, 2018

Weekly Dose: ephylone, the dangerous designer stimulant found at Groovin the Moo

Samuel Banister, University of Sydney and Richard Kevin, University of Sydney

Ephylone belongs to the growing class of designer stimulants called synthetic cathinones. The effects have been described as a mix between MDMA and cocaine, while others are more similar to ice.

Seized counterfeit hydrocodone tablets. Drug Enforcement Administration/Handout via Reuters

August 26, 2016

Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids sold as counterfeits in deadly new trend

Samuel Banister, Stanford University; Axel Adams, University of California, San Francisco, and Roy Gerona, University of California, San Francisco

Counterfeit drugs and heroin laced with illicitly made fentanyl have been linked to overdoses across the country. So what can be done?

Packets of synthetic cannabinoids illegally sold in New York City. Sebastien Malo/Reuters

November 5, 2015

Labs make new, dangerous synthetic cannabinoid drugs faster than we can ban them

Samuel Banister, Stanford University; Iain S McGregor, University of Sydney, and Roy Gerona, University of California, San Francisco

Synthetic cannabinoids – drugs that mimic the psychoactive effect of cannabis – have been linked to injuries and deaths. And when one is banned, another rises to take its place.

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