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Simon Lenton

Professor and Director, National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University

Simon Lenton is Director of the National Drug Research Institute, where he has worked since 1993. In addition, he works part time as a clinical psychologist in private practice. Simon previously worked for the WA Alcohol and Drug Authority for 7 years, as clinical psychologist and manager. His research interests include bridging the gap between drug policy research and drug policy practice, illicit drug use and harm reduction, impact of legislative options for drugs, availability of take-home naloxone, and drink and drug driving. His current research program includes evaluations of take-home naloxone programs in Australia, an international collaborative web survey of small-time cannabis cultivators, a study of social supply of cannabis, and a study of users of the online drug marketplace - Silk Road. He has published widely on drugs, health and the law and provided advice to a range of government and private organisations, both in Australia and internationally, on evidence based drug policy and other drug issues. His publications have appeared in journals such as Addiction,The International Journal of Drug Policy, Drug and Alcohol Review, Drug and Alcohol Dependence, The Journal of Drug Issues, Medical Journal of Australia, and Behaviour Research and Therapy. He was a deputy editor of Drug and Alcohol Review from 1997 to 2013 and edited the 'Harm Reduction Digest' that appeared in that journal.

Why do our friends want us to drink and dislike it when we don't?

Dec 29, 2016 11:14 am UTC| Life

Anyone who has ever tried to give up drinking, or goes somewhere and says theyre not drinking, knows people encourage us to drink and are unhappy when we dont. Why is this? Is it uniquely Australian? What can we do about...

Economy

Oil Prices Hold Near Multi-Year Highs Amid Iran Conflict and Hormuz Supply Fears

Oil prices remained elevated during Asian trading on Wednesday as markets processed mixed signals surrounding the ongoing conflict with Iran. Brent crude futures for June climbed 0.5% to $104.47 per barrel, while West...

Asian Stocks Surge on Trump's Iran War Comments and Dip-Buying

Asian equity markets posted strong gains on Wednesday, driven by U.S. President Donald Trumps remarks signaling a potential end to military operations against Iran within two to three weeks. Renewed investor optimism,...

Japan Business Sentiment Rises as Iran War Fuels Inflation Fears, BOJ Rate Hike Looms

Japans corporate confidence strengthened for the fourth consecutive quarter through March 2026, reinforcing expectations that the Bank of Japan (BOJ) may raise interest rates as early as this month. However, mounting...

Japan's Business Confidence Rises Despite Iran War Uncertainty, BOJ Rate Hike Expected

Japans large manufacturers reported improved business sentiment in the three months to March, according to the Bank of Japans closely watched Tankan survey released Wednesday. The headline index for big manufacturers...

South Korea Manufacturing PMI Hits 4-Year High in March 2025 Driven by Semiconductor Demand

South Koreas manufacturing sector delivered a standout performance in March, with factory activity accelerating to its strongest level in over four years. Data from SP Globals Purchasing Managers Index showed a reading of...

Politics

Trump's NATO Threat Looms as Rutte Plans Washington Visit

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is set to visit Washington next week in what the alliance has described as a long-planned trip, arriving at a particularly tense moment in transatlantic relations. NATO spokesperson...

Mexico's Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente Steps Down for Health Reasons; Roberto Velasco Nominated as Successor

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Wednesday that Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente is stepping down from his position due to ongoing health concerns. Sheinbaum has nominated Roberto Velasco, the current...

U.S. Lifts Sanctions on Venezuelan Interim Leader Delcy Rodriguez Amid Diplomatic Shift

The United States has officially removed sanctions against Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez, according to the U.S. Treasury Department website. The move comes less than three months after American forces...

Trump Threatens NATO Withdrawal Amid Iran Crisis: What U.S. Law Says

President Donald Trump escalated tensions with Western allies on Wednesday, threatening to pull the United States out of NATO after European members refused to deploy naval forces to unblock the Strait of Hormuz near Iran....

Iranian President Pezeshkian Sends Message of Peace to the American People

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has written an open letter directed at ordinary American citizens, expressing that Iran holds no hostility toward the American people. The letter, reported by Press TV on Wednesday,...

Science

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Technology

Annie Altman Amends Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Against OpenAI CEO Sam Altman

Annie Altman has filed an amended civil lawsuit against her brother, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, accusing him of sexually abusing her over a span of nearly a decade. The amended complaint was submitted Wednesday in St. Louis...

TSMC Japan's Second Fab to Produce 3nm Chips by 2028

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the worlds leading contract chipmaker, has confirmed plans to begin equipment installation and mass production of 3-nanometre wafers at its second fabrication plant in...

Apple Turns 50: From Garage Startup to AI Crossroads

In early 1976, engineer Steve Wozniak finished designing a computer circuit board he planned to share with fellow hobbyists at a local California tech club. His friend Steve Jobs recognized a commercial opportunity, and...

Rubio Directs U.S. Diplomats to Use X and Military Psyops to Counter Foreign Propaganda

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has instructed American diplomats to leverage social media platform X and collaborate with Pentagon psychological operations units as part of a broader strategy to combat foreign...

Microsoft Eyes $7B Texas Energy Deal to Power AI Data Centers

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) is reportedly in exclusive negotiations with Chevron Corp (NYSE: CVX) and investment firm Engine No. 1 to develop a massive energy complex in West Texas dedicated to powering its...