April 23, 2025

The Psychology and Neuroscience of Gambling Addiction

In this presentation, Dr. Luke Clark, Director of the Centre for Gambling Research at UBC, will consider the modern conceptualization of pathological gambling (or Gambling Disorder) as a behavioural addiction. After briefly reviewing diagnosis and prevalence, the talk will focus on the distorted styles of thinking that occur during gambling, and their neurobiological basis in terms of brain chemistry and the brain reward system.
April 23, 2025

Afghanistan: The Billion Dollar Drug War

Drug use in Afghanistan is at an all-time high. With NATO forces withdrawing and local law enforcement authorities having little to no funding, the poppy fields are thriving. In this documentary, 101 East investigates how Afghan authorities are fighting to regulate the return of poppy farming, the ramifications of the global war on drugs, and what the future holds for this vulnerable nation. Fortunately, there is one woman in Kabul who works endlessly to help addicts.
April 23, 2025

Benzo Dope & Tranq: The Next Wave of the Overdose Crisis

More than 100,000 Americans died of a drug overdose in 2021, the worst year on record. The newest wave of the overdose crisis involves man-made chemicals, including animal tranquilizers, that are being combined with fentanyl to make street drugs that are deadlier and more addictive. With access to an undisguised fentanyl dealer, Beyond Fentanyl looks at how drugs like “benzo dope” and “tranq” are ravaging North American communities and how U.S. policy affected the latest flood of synthetic street drugs.
April 23, 2025

Alcohol: Adrian Chiles – Drinkers Like Me

In this revealingly intimate documentary for BBC2, Adrian Chiles takes a long, hard look at his own love of boozing. He wants to find out why he and many others don’t think they are addicted to alcohol despite finding it almost impossible to enjoy life without it. Adrian, who drinks almost every day, decides to start a drinking diary and soon finds out his intake is way over the recommended limit. He decides to visit his parents to find out what it was that motivated him to start drinking as a teenager and reveals that sneaking into pubs underage was all about friendship and being part of something, and that the allure of the social side of drinking has never really left him since his teens.
April 23, 2025

Alcohol at Home – Britain’s Secret Drinkers

It is commonly believed that binge drinking culture in Britain is their most serious drinking problem. However, experts in this short video, featured on the BBC programme ‘Tonight’, discuss a different concern – at home drinkers. According to a study discussed in the video, more and more people are regularly drinking alcohol at home, sometimes every night of the week. For some, it’s seen as a reward after a long day at work, and for others, it’s a way of relaxing. Unfortunately, many people appear unaware of the consequences of such behaviour.
April 23, 2025

UK Drinking Culture: A Royal Hangover

This documentary provides insight into the United Kingdom’s reliance on alcohol and the history of their binge drinking culture. In comparison to other countries, binge drinking is more socially acceptable in the UK. Unfortunately, they spend about 21 billion pounds every year because of this problem, with about 1.6 million people being dependent on alcohol. Russell Brand used to be one of them and you’ll hear his speech on this topic, including his own experiences with substance abuse.
April 23, 2025

Vodka: Friend & Foe of the Russians

This documentary delves into the drinking culture of Russia, with a focus on the country’s deep-seated dependence on vodka. The film takes viewers on a tour of both legal and illegal alcohol distilleries, highlighting the differences in manufacturing and distribution requirements between the two sectors. By showcasing the production of counterfeit alcohol and the stores that sell it, the documentary sheds light on the dangers of this illicit market.
April 21, 2025

The New Zealand War on Drugs – WASTED with Guyon Epsiner

Guyon Epsiner unpacks the “war on drugs” through the substance many in New Zealand consider most harmful – methamphetamine. He talks with police, Australian politicians, treatment providers and the Drug Foundation, but most importantly he speaks to people who’ve had personal experience with the drug and takes time to dig into their individual circumstances.
April 20, 2025

New Zealand Drinking Culture – PROOF with Guyon Epsiner

Follow Guyon Epsiner, an award-winning journalist living in New Zealand, as he talks with several individuals who provide insight into the effects of alcohol and drinking culture, specifically the associated harms felt by community members. He even speaks to someone from the alcohol industry who tries to argue for the potential benefits of alcohol. This documentary, however, can see through this and dives into the predatory nature of these companies, such as how poorer communities are riddled with liquor stores, and how the harms that communities endure are ignored.