United States Drug Enforcement Administration

Panelists will discuss new medical applications for common drugs of abuse. “Club Drugs” including nitrous oxide, ketamine, and MDMA are seeing increasing use by medical doctors as treatments for conditions like depression and PTSD, despite their not being approved for such use by the FDA. The panelists will talk about the abuse of these drugs and their research into new, legitimate uses.

Ketamine, widely used legally as an anesthetic and illegally in club settings is emerging as a potential new treatment for some types of depression. Dr. Gerard Sanacora—Professor of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine—will share his research on Ketamine and its uses in treating depression.

Dental patients are familiar with Nitrous Oxide, popularly known as “laughing gas.” Dr. Charles Conway—Professor of Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis—will discuss his research on Nitrous Oxide and the potential for it and other drugs of abuse to be used as treatments for depression.

Dr. Jean Lud Cadet—Chief of the Molecular Neuropsychiatry Research Branch and Associate Director for Diversity and Outreach at the Intramural Research Program (IRP) of NIDA—will discuss the potential use and abuse of MDMA, Methamphetamine, and other drugs for PTSD and other psychiatric diatheses.

This event is free and open to the public.