Gerald Thomas | University of Victoria, Centre for Addictions Research of BC (original) (raw)

Papers by Gerald Thomas

Drug and Alcohol Review, 2019

Introduction and Aims. A previous observational study of ayahuasca-assisted therapy demonstrated ... more Introduction and Aims. A previous observational study of ayahuasca-assisted therapy demonstrated statistically significant reductions in self-reported problematic cocaine use among members of an Indigenous community in Canada. This paper aims to qualitatively explore the impact of ayahuasca-assisted therapy on addiction and other substance use-related outcomes and elucidate the lived experiences of participants. Design and Methods. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 11 adult Indigenous participants of the ayahuasca-assisted 'Working with Addiction and Stress' ceremonial retreats (June-September 2011). Semi-structured interviews assessed experiences of participants following the retreats at 6-month follow up. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts was conducted. Results. Narratives revealed that the retreats helped participants identify negative thought patterns and barriers related to their addiction in ways that differed from conventional therapies. All participants reported reductions in substance use and cravings; eight participants reported complete cessation of at least one substance at follow up. Increased connectedness with self, others and nature/spirit was described as a key element associated with reduced substance use and cravings. Discussion and Conclusions. This analysis expands upon prior quantitative results highlighting the therapeutic potential of ayahuasca-assisted therapy and provides important contextual insights into why ayahuasca-assisted therapy may have been beneficial for members of an Indigenous community seeking to address their problematic use of substances. Given limited efficacy of conventional treatments for resolving addiction issues, further research should investigate the role of ayahuasca and other psychedelic-assisted therapies in enhancing connectedness and other key factors that may improve well-being and reduce harmful substance use. [Argento E, Capler R, Thomas G, Lucas P, Tupper KW. Exploring ayahuasca-assisted therapy for addiction: A qualitative analysis of preliminary findings among an Indigenous community in Canada. Drug Alcohol Rev 2019]

Addressing criticisms of minimum unit pricing • Criticism of the Sheffield and Canadian research,... more Addressing criticisms of minimum unit pricing • Criticism of the Sheffield and Canadian research, much of it from commercial vested interest groups, has been inaccurate and misleading • Unintended negative consequences from MUP are minor in comparison with the substantial health, social and economic benefits the policy creates • There is clear evidence that substitution with various forms of illicit or unrecorded alcohol would only slightly offset the significant health benefits of increased prices • Individuals and families on low incomes would be among the least affected by the policy as they are more likely to be abstainers or low risk drinkers than those on higher incomes • Low income families with heavy drinkers and others would benefit financially by having less risk of loss income through death, injury, illness and/or long-term disability of a drinking family member • MUP would also reduce the risk of being harmed in some way by someone else's drinking

The International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research, 2014

Thomas, G., Gonneau, G., Poole, N., & Cook, J. (2014). The effectiveness of alcohol warning label... more Thomas, G., Gonneau, G., Poole, N., & Cook, J. (2014). The effectiveness of alcohol warning labels in the prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: A brief review. The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 3(1), 91-103 doi:10.7895/ijadr.vX3i1.126Aims and Method: Alcohol warning labels are one way of influencing alcohol consumption in pregnancy and thereby preventing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). This scoping review describes the literature on the influence of alcohol warning labels (AWLs) for changing attitudes and behavior related to alcohol use in pregnancy; draws on the larger literature related to effectiveness of AWLs which may have relevance to FASD prevention; and situates AWLs within a continuum of strategies to prevent FASD.Findings: Our review of the published literature suggests that while AWLs are popular with the public, their effectiveness for changing drinking behavior is limited. Available research suggests that for maximum effect, AWLs s...

Forum on Corrections Research, 2006

The prevalence of alcohol use, the frequency of drinking, the quantity consumed in a sitting and ... more The prevalence of alcohol use, the frequency of drinking, the quantity consumed in a sitting and the harmful consequences from alcohol varied by demographic characteristics, particularly by sex and age. Past-year drinking was significantly more common among males (82%) than ...

Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de santé publique, Jan 16, 2016

Support for a public health approach to cannabis policy as an alternative to prohibition and crim... more Support for a public health approach to cannabis policy as an alternative to prohibition and criminalization is gaining momentum. Recent drug policy changes in the United States suggest growing political feasibility for legal regulation of cannabis in other North American jurisdictions. This commentary discusses the outcomes of an interdisciplinary policy meeting with Canadian experts and knowledge users in the area of substance use interventions. Themeeting explored possibilities for applying cross-substance learning on policy interventions for alcohol, tobacco and cannabis, towards the goal of advancing a public health framework for reducing harms associated with substance use in Canada. The meeting also explored how the shift in approach to cannabis policy can provide an opportunity to explore potential changes in substance use policy more generally, especially in relation to tobacco and alcohol as legally regulated substances associated with a heavy burden of illness. Drawing fr...

Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs

Canadian Journal of Public Health, 2015

Introduction and aims: Alcohol pricing is an effective prevention policy. This paper compares th... more Introduction and aims:
Alcohol pricing is an effective prevention policy. This paper compares the 10 Canadian provinces on three research-based alcohol pricing policies-minimum pricing, pricing by alcohol content and maintaining prices relative to inflation.

Design and methods:
The selection of these three policies was based on systematic reviews and seminal research papers. Provincial data for 2012 were obtained from Statistics Canada and relevant provincial ministries, subsequently sent to provincial authorities for verification, and then scored by team members.

Results:
All provinces, except for Alberta, have minimum prices for at least one beverage type sold in off-premise outlets. All provinces, except for British Columbia and Quebec, have separate (and higher) minimum pricing for on-premise establishments. Regarding pricing on alcohol content, western and central provinces typically scored higher than provinces in Eastern Canada. Generally, minimum prices were lower than the recommended 1.50perstandarddrinkforoff−premiseoutletsand1.50 per standard drink for off-premise outlets and 1.50perstandarddrinkforoff−premiseoutletsand3.00 per standard drink in on-premise venues. Seven of 10 provinces scored 60% or higher compared to the ideal on indexing prices to inflation. Prices for a representative basket of alcohol products in Ontario and Quebec have lagged significantly behind inflation since 2006.

Discussion and conclusions:
While examples of evidence-based alcohol pricing policies can be found in every jurisdiction in Canada, significant inter-provincial variation leaves substantial unrealised potential for further reducing alcohol-related harm and costs. This comparative assessment of alcohol price policies provides clear indications of how individual provinces could adjust their pricing policies and practices to improve public health and safety.

Product labelling has several advantages including that it is a relatively inexpensive way to rea... more Product labelling has several advantages including that it is a relatively inexpensive way to reach drinkers, it delivers information to users at both points of sale and consumption, and it provides highest Focus On: Standard alcohol labelling Page 2 of 11 exposure to the heaviest users and thus is a well-targeted intervention. 3 Although alcohol labelling is extremely popular with the public 4 and appears to have gained acceptance as a universal prevention measure for addressing alcohol-related risk in more than 20 countries around the world, a recent review of this topic suggests that alcohol labelling initiatives are still underdeveloped. 5 Standard alcohol labelling includes three main types of product information: health warnings, nutritional information (e.g., ingredients, allergens and calories) and number of standard drinks in a container. Some labels combine these types of product information. For example, guidelines for low-risk drinking can be paired with information on the number of standard drinks per container, to help consumers better monitor and control their drinking. 6

Alcohol warning labels are one way of influencing alcohol consumption in pregnancy and thereby pr... more Alcohol warning labels are one way of influencing alcohol consumption in pregnancy and thereby preventing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). This scoping review describes the literature on the influence of alcohol warning labels (AWLs) for changing attitudes and behavior related to alcohol use in pregnancy; draws on the larger literature related to effectiveness of AWLs which may have relevance to FASD prevention; and situates AWLs within a continuum of strategies to prevent FASD.

This paper offers a perspective on the research evidence for minimum pricing for alcohol as a pub... more This paper offers a perspective on the research evidence for minimum pricing for alcohol as a public health measure from a country where this policy idea originated. It looks at the current data on the negative impacts from heavy drinking in the UK, framing the need for an effective policy response, and gives an overview of the evidence to support minimum unit pricing (MUP) as
a means of addressing the issue. In presenting the evidence to support MUP, this paper addresses some common criticisms of the policy, including those that have originated from alcohol industry sources. It concludes that policymakers can be confident that substantial total net health and social benefits will follow if MUP is introduced in the UK.

Current drug abuse reviews, 2013

Introduction: This paper reports results from a preliminary observational study of ayahuasca-assi... more Introduction: This paper reports results from a preliminary observational study of ayahuasca-assisted treatment for problematic substance use and stress delivered in a rural First Nations community in British Columbia, Canada.

American journal of public health, 2012

CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne, 2011

Its mission is to create an internationally recognized centre, distributed across BC, that is ded... more Its mission is to create an internationally recognized centre, distributed across BC, that is dedicated to research and knowledge exchange on substance use, harm reduction and addiction. It seeks to achieve this mission while advancing its values related to collaborative relationships, independent research, ethics, social equity and justice, reducing risk and increasing protection, harm reduction and informed public debate.