Best Scottish Recovery Network Podcasts (2025)

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Alex Winter: Deep Web & Youtube Effect 40:28

Play Pause

6M ago40:28

40:28

Most people will know Alex Winter from his acting career given his legacy starring in cult classic movies, but Alex is also decorated and highly respected documentary maker. His work includes The Panama Papers, Zappa, Downloaded, and the two in particular that we shall be talking about in this episode, Deep Web and The Youtube Effect. At the time o…

1
Dan 'Nitro' Clark: Original Gladiator 1:14:22

1+ y ago1:14:22

1:14:22

He was one of the very first television gladiators, the yardstick of 'sports entertainment', Dan Clark is better known as Nitro to millions of people across the world and will forever be the true definition of a TV gladiator. In a new Netflix documentary, Muscles and Mayhem, Dan and his co-stars delve deep into the real world of American Gladiators…

1
Wes Cunliffe: From County Lines to the Rugby Pitch 1:04:52

1+ y ago1:04:52

1:04:52

Please meet Wes Cunliffe - he has the most incredible story... As a teenager Wes was on the frontlines of county lines dealing. He's been stabbed multiple times, had literal run-ins with the law, and has experienced the harsh realities of a life fraught with struggle; Wes' life was one of survival. He is now flourishing on the rugby pitch, as well …

1
Lynn Ulbricht: A Mother's Journey - Silk Road & Criminal Justice 54:09

1+ y ago54:09

54:09

How much do you know about the infamous site Silk Road and its creator Ross Ulbricht, also known as Dread Pirate Roberts? We speak to Lynn Ulbricht, the mother of Ross... Ross was a pioneer of the deep web and bitcoin. He created a new market place which ended up as a vending system for an array of things, including drugs. Ross was the mastermind b…

1
Drug Policy Unfiltered - Live! 1:37:14

2y ago1:37:14

1:37:14

This is an epic episode with some of the all-time great voices from international drug policy. Recorded live at the Cranstoun conference in Brighton in February 2023, the guests were all briefed to go beyond the usual scripts and be as honest as they could be... and they did not disappoint. This conversation was one of the most open that you're eve…

1
Matt Hutchinson: Medicine, Comedy and Drug Policy 1:00:29

2y ago1:00:29

1:00:29

On today's Stop and Search we're joined by Matt Hutchinson. He's a doctor specialising in Rheumatology and General Medicine, and also a comedian - what a combo! We have a very open and wide-ranging conversation about drug policy, medicine, addiction, the prescribing of pain medication, comedy, and so much more. We really do cover some bases in this…

1
Scottish Government Proposes Drug Law Reform! 40:58

2y ago40:58

40:58

In this breaking news, emergency broadcast, special podcast, we'll be discussing the bold new moves by the Scottish government to reform their drug policies. We speak to retired Police Inspector Ian Andrew, and former Detective and author of The Ten Percent, Simon McLean - both of whom are LEAP UK and LEAP Scotland members. Both Ian and Simon have …

1
Louise Marwood: Addiction, Recovery and the Stage 1:09:21

2y ago1:09:21

1:09:21

Louise Marwood is an actress and comedian - you may recognise her from the British soap opera Emmerdale. In recent weeks Louise has bravely spoken out via the media about her own struggles with addiction, using her platform to help build the discussion around addiction and stigma... but Louise is now embarking on a new project! With her background …

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Stig Abell 1:16:33

2y ago1:16:33

1:16:33

A journalist, newspaper editor, radio presenter, author, Stig Abell has just about done it all in the world of media and journalism. In his book, How Britain Really Works, Stig writes about the many institutions of the UK and how policy making is not always what it's cut out to be. Having done a lot of work in prisons and the justice system, Stig h…

1
Judge Victoria Pratt: Transforming Criminal Justice 56:09

2+ y ago56:09

56:09

Having served as the chief judge of the Newark Municipal Court, Judge Victoria Pratt is also professor at the Rutgers Newark School of Criminal Justice. Judge Pratt has a written a book called The Power of Dignity: Transforming Criminal Justice which delves into her work in and out of the courtroom. Having looked for alternatives to the criminal ju…

1
Shelby Hartman - Double Blind Magazine: The Psychedelic Future 41:18

2+ y ago41:18

41:18

Shelby Hartman is the co-founder and CEO of the innovative publication Double Blind Magazine. Having written for numerous publications such as Vice, Huffington Post, Rolling Stone, Shelby and her partner Madison are now shaping how we view the emerging and exciting world of psychedelics via Double Blind Magazine. In this episode we talk about a the…

1
Tim Lovejoy 1:19:15

2+ y ago1:19:15

1:19:15

Let's chat with TV presenter, broadcaster, and podcast legend, Tim Lovejoy. Tim has had an interesting journey with drug policy... like many, Tim believed in our drug laws, he had no need to investigate further. But after hosting a number of people on his own podcast, The Lovejoy Hour, such as Peter Bleksley, Neil Woods, Johann Hari, and our own St…

1
Alastair Campbell 58:39

2+ y ago58:39

58:39

He's a mental health advocate, author, criminal justice reform advocate, chart-topping podcaster, and of course the director of communications under Tony Blair's term as Prime Minister - Alastair Campbell barely needs an introduction. In this episode we go further with Alastair than he's ever gone before in giving his thoughts on failed drug policy…

1
Top Girl - The Frontline of County Lines 1:08:04

2+ y ago1:08:04

1:08:04

What is it really like being a county lines drug dealer? Danielle Marin was at the forefront of the drug distribution evolution and became a drug dealer at an early age. The book Top Girl is a must-read! Danielle witnessed some of the very worst aspects of society and yet she has one of the calmest and most sensible demeanours imaginable. On this e…

1
Richard Mylan 1:06:02

2+ y ago1:06:02

1:06:02

Richard Mylan is an actor from film, stage and television, as well as a theatre producer, director and a drama teacher. His career has been diverse and littered with big roles such as Waterloo Road. But recently Richard has devoted more of his time to speak about his personal journey with addiction in hopes that he can raise awareness for other peo…

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Stanley Nelson - Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy 29:01

4+ y ago29:01

29:01

We talk to Stanley Nelson, director of the new Netflix documentary Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy. What really happened in the 80s and the crack epidemic? Taking an in-depth look at the societal costs, how communities reacted, and how the media played their part, this eye-opening documentary is described as “a puzzle” by Stanley who tried …

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Dr Carl Hart: Drug Use for Grown-Ups 1:01:29

4+ y ago1:01:29

1:01:29

Dr Carl Hart has almost become a legendary figure in the world of academia and the media, he’s a professor of neuroscience and psychology at Columbia University and known for his work in drugs and addiction. His first book High Price: A Neuroscientist's Journey of Self-Discovery That Challenges Everything You Know About Drugs and Society was very w…

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Norman Pilcher: Bent Coppers (I Am the Walrus) 51:34

4+ y ago51:34

51:34

Norman Pilcher has gone down in history as the muse behind the song I Am the Walrus by The Beatles. When serving in the newly formed drugs squad, Norman arrested John Lennon, George Harrison, The Rolling Stones, Dusty Springfield, and many other iconic figures from the 60s. He was one of the first and most infamous foot soldiers in the newly formed…

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County Lines - with Writer & Director Henry Blake 54:53

4+ y ago54:53

54:53

The new film County Lines is set for release on December 4th, it is a comprehensive dramatisation of what goes on in the county lines drug chain, but the film is also about so much more... Henry Blake is the writer and director of this new film but his background is in youth work - Henry conveys why he was compelled to make this film. We talk about…

1
Leroy Logan - Closing Ranks: My Life as a Cop 1:03:57

5y ago1:03:57

1:03:57

Leroy Logan MBE climbed the police ranks to become a Superintendent and along the way he encountered institutional racism, abuse, and erroneous accusations and investigations. Leroy has released a new book titled Closing Ranks: My Life as a Cop... so how did he get into the police service? Well, that in itself is a fascinating story. Leroy's life i…

1
Justice on Trial - Chris Daw QC 1:21:39

5y ago1:21:39

1:21:39

With over 25 years of experience in criminal law, Chris Daw QC is a barrister who's seen it all. Murder, heists, the apex of international financial crime, and of course drug barons. He's defended many, many people. What drove him to seek answers? What alternatives did he find? And why should we abolish the prison system as we know it... and reform…

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Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics with Donick Cary 1:08:41

5y ago1:08:41

1:08:41

Donick Cary has had an incredible career. He's been a writer and producer on legendary shows such as The Simpsons, Parks and Recreation, New Girl, and many more. During his career he's met and spoken with many public figures about their personal journeys with psychedelics, so... he decided to turn this into a film! On Netflix you can watch the feat…

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Ash Sarkar 56:24

5y ago56:24

56:24

Ash Sarkar is the Senior Editor at Novara Media and also teaches at the Sandberg Institute. Ash is a regular commentator on Newsnight, BBC Question Time and most news sites. In this very enlightening conversation Ash joins us to talk about the divisive nature of our drug laws and the impact on society - especially when it comes to BAME communities.…

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John Sutherland: Crossing the Line 1:10:30

5y ago1:10:30

1:10:30

What's it like to literally talk someone down from a ledge? How do you cope with being a witness to the most extreme examples of domestic violence, terrorism, and murder? John Sutherland explains... Having served on the frontlines of policing, from PC level, all the way to Chief Superintendent, John has seen the best and worst of society. He's been…

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Third Rails and Fourth Walls: Behind the Scenes of Drug Law Reform 1:15:12

5+ y ago1:15:12

1:15:12

We're going to lift the curtain and go behind the scenes of drug law reform. Let's have some honesty about what it's really like working on the front-lines of this global issue! Joining us to give their valuable and candid insight: Sanho Tree - Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies, and Director of its Drug Policy Project since 1998, Sanho is …

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Pills, Powder, and Smoke: Inside the Bloody War on Drugs, with Antony Loewenstein 1:18:06

5+ y ago1:18:06

1:18:06

Author and journalist Antony Loewenstein spent nearly five years writing his incredible book, Pills, Powder, and Smoke: Inside the Bloody War on Drugs. This is a truly enlightening conversation about the writing of his book, and how Antony put his own safety on the line for his travels and research. The 'war on drugs' is wide-ranging, and Antony do…

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Tez Ilyas: Chicken Boxes and National Security 50:37

5+ y ago50:37

50:37

Comedian Tez Ilyas joins us to talk about a whole load of things! Firstly, we chat about chicken boxes... which is a first for us on this podcast, but all will be explained #KnifeCrime Tez has received a lot of critical acclaim for his stand-up comedy as well as his primetime TV show, The Tez O'Clock Show, so we also ask him about the importance of…

1
Murder Mountain: Joshua Zeman 59:59

5+ y ago59:59

59:59

Murder Mountain is a documentary series on Netflix which is directed by Joshua Zeman - it takes a look at the legendary emerald triangle in California. This region is also infamous for another reason, hence why it gets the name Murder Mountain... It's estimated that 80% of the blackmarket cannabis in the US historically comes from the emerald trian…

1
Secret Drug Addict 1:25:51

5+ y ago1:25:51

1:25:51

Having worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry from an early age, Secret Drug Addict dabbled in a few substances during his time on the scene and now he speaks eloquently about his journey with drugs, addiction, and recovery. Having been at the epicentre on Brit Pop and the infamous bands of that era, as you may imagine, he's go…

1
The Global Drugs Chain 57:02

5+ y ago57:02

57:02

We're discussing the global drugs chain. From consumer countries, producer countries, and transit countries, the global chain for drugs is wide-ranging, but sometimes the links in the chain are not immediately obvious. We're joined by a great panel to discuss the many overlaps in the global drugs economy and to explain why none of us are free from …

1
On the President's Orders: James Jones 55:08

5+ y ago55:08

55:08

On The President's Orders is a film directed by James Jones and Olivier Sarbil. In this startling documentary we get to see the Philippines' drug war from an up-close perspective. We're joined by James Jones to discuss the making of this eye-opening movie. Shot like a Hollywood blockbuster, the beautiful cinematography is in stark contrast to the u…

1
Iain Lee: Addiction and Recovery 1:18:34

6y ago1:18:34

1:18:34

Iain Lee is a well known UK TV and radio presenter, with his show on Talkradio being renowned for its open dialogue on a range of issues, some of which can prove difficult topics. Iain also came third on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here, but he's also been very open about his own battles with mental health - we could not be more privileged in …

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Drug Policy & Social Justice 1:01:29

6y ago1:01:29

1:01:29

This is a Transform Drug Policy Foundation takeover of the podcast! Join Transform's CEO, James Nicholls, as he hosts three key players from the North and South American drug policy reform scene: Kathryn Ledubur - Director of Andean Information Network Sanho Tree - Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies Shaleen Title - A Massachusetts Cannabis …

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Kill The Black One First: Michael Fuller 54:10

6y ago54:10

54:10

Michael Fuller was the UK's first black Chief Constable and his journey to this position is quite the story. Kill The Black One First is the title of Michael's memoir and it goes into his amazing career, his unique upbringing, and also many stories from his decades within the police force: "Kill the black one first!" was shouted at Michael as he st…

1
Nish Kumar 50:42

6y ago50:42

50:42

Nish Kumar, he doesn't really need an introduction does he?! Nish recently had an appearance on BBC 1 Question Time where he had a debate with Daily Mail columnist Melanie Phillips over Stop and Search powers and race disparity, so we invited Nish to follow up on this discussion! We talk about Stop and Search, race relations, the media, the power o…

1
The Fear of 13: Christopher Riley 47:43

6y ago47:43

47:43

The Fear of 13 is the self-told tale of Nick Yarris, a prisoner who spent 22 years on death row. Nick's incarceration - and time spent in solitary confinement - led him to request his own execution. Nick wrote the book The Fear of 13 which was subsequently made into a film - currently available on Netflix. We're joined by one of the producers of th…

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The Journey of Drug Policy Reform: Anyone's Child 44:27

6y ago44:27

44:27

A very special episode recorded on the parliamentary estate at Portcullis House in Westminster. We're joined by a panel of parliamentarians and members from the incredible campaign group, Anyone's Child. We're talking about the journey of drug policy reform: Anyone's Child members are walking the Thames Pathway all the way to Westminster - a day of…

1
A Literal Drug War: The Philippines 53:29

6y ago53:29

53:29

We need to keep talking about the Philippines and their literal war on drugs, predicated by President Rodrigo Duterte. We're joined by a trio of journalists who have covered this subject, both on the ground and within the presidential palace, but also how this fits in relation to international drug policy. Jonathan Miller is Channel 4 News' Asia Co…

1
Saving Lives: Harm Reduction & Overdose Prevention Sites with Marilou Gagnon 1:13:36

6y ago1:13:36

1:13:36

Marilou Gagnon is a nurse, a professor, and a tireless harm reduction worker who is part of an inspiring movement in Canada which literally saves lives. In this episode we talk about pop-up overdose prevention sites, a new way of preventing people dying in Canada and Marilou is at the forefront of this new frontier. We also chat about the growing c…

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Jonathan Pie: Critical Thinking & Polarisation 1:20:04

6+ y ago1:20:04

1:20:04

After coming back from their fact-finding trip to the US, the team behind Jonathan Pie join us to discuss their BBC film Jonathan Pie's American Pie. And oh wow, is this a conversation?! Our guests: Tom Walker, the person behind the Jonathan Pie. And we have an all-star list of previous guests in: Andrew Doyle, co-writer of Jonathan Pie. Olly Polla…

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'Hello, Shadowlands' - Patrick Winn on Southeast Asia's Crime Waves: 57:08

6+ y ago57:08

57:08

Southeast Asia's crime waves range from drugs to human trafficking and these trades are extremely lucrative, and yet the West doesn't seem to talk about it very much. Why? We have a much needed conversation with award winning journalist Patrick Winn. We chat about the writing of his book 'Hello, Shadowlands' and the unprecedented insights he got in…

1
The BMJ Podcast 1:17:53

6+ y ago1:17:53

1:17:53

The British Medical Journal (BMJ) is one of the most respected publications in the world, so much so that it doesn't really need an introduction, does it? We're joined by: Ian Hamilton, mental health worker and academic who's written for the BMJ, Independent, and many other publications Dr Fiona Godlee, the Editor in Chief for the BMJ Richard Hurle…

1
Gangbusters: TV Reality vs Reality TV. Part 2 39:50

6+ y ago39:50

39:50

Channel 4 Hunted's Peter Bleksley and Danni Brooke, and documentary filmmaker Aaron Roach Bridgeman... do we have a chat or what?! This is a very powerful look into drugs, gangs, the mafia, undercover work, and the UK streets. Each guest can give an incredible insight from their rather unique perspective. All three of our guests are now media profe…

1
Gangbusters: TV Reality vs Reality TV. Part 1 50:37

6+ y ago50:37

50:37

We're joined by Hunted's Chief, Peter Bleksley, Hunted's Danni Brooke, and documentary maker Aaron Roach Bridgeman. We're talking about television, crime, documentaries, and the realities. All three of our guests are now prominent media figures, but each one of them has a very interesting background: Peter Bleksley is now the Chief on Channel 4's h…

1
Jim Connolly asks: Is your postman delivering drugs? 51:14

6+ y ago51:14

51:14

Jim Connolly made a film for BBC Newsbeat where he investigated the dark web and the rather new trend of mail order drugs. How easy is it? What goes on? And what can we learn? We're talking about drugs in the post. As a journalist, Jim was eager to look the headlines and see for himself what's going on with regards to mail order drugs. Is it someth…

1
Simon Jenkins: A Drug War History 1:02:06

6+ y ago1:02:06

1:02:06

Sir Simon Jenkins was one of the first journalists to cast a questioning eye over the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. We were very lucky to be invited into Sir Simon's house where we have a very interesting discussion on the historical aspects of our drug laws and how they work in today's society. Writing for The Guardian and author of many books on hist…

1
Legal Cannabis in Canada! What's the Score? 1:02:27

6+ y ago1:02:27

1:02:27

Fully legal weed: For about a month cannabis has been legal and on sale in Canada - so what's really going on? We're joined by Jon Hiltz, journalist and author of the new book The Wild West: Canada's Legalization of Marijuana. Did the country really run out of cannabis in the first days of general sale? How do the citizens feel about being the firs…

1
Johann Hari: Lost Connections 37:42

6+ y ago37:42

37:42

What are the real causes of depression in society and individuals? And what part do these factors play in addiction and mental health? We're joined by author Johann Hari as we discuss his latest book, Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions. You may have heard Johann on our Stop and Search podcast b…

1
Inside the Cannabis Social Club (UKCSC) 1:14:21

6+ y ago1:14:21

1:14:21

We're literally inviting you to join us at a real London cannabis members club, but not only that we're joined by: Arfon Jones - Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for North Wales Greg de Hoedt - Chair of the UK Cannabis Social Club movement, known as the UKCSC Dr. Melissa Bone - Lecturer at the University of Leicester, academic, and very knowledg…

1
Ireland - #SaferFromHarm 1:06:32

7y ago1:06:32

1:06:32

A very special episode on Ireland where we're joined by: Tony Duffin - CEO of Ana Liffey Drug Project Emmet Kirwan - Playwright, actor, writer, spoken-word artist, and star and writer of Dublin OldSchool We're talking about Ireland and the major changes that have been taking place, both in drug policy and in wider societal reforms. Tony Duffin also…