The Psychedelic Society of Bristol is proud to present an evening in conversation with the hungry ghosts: what drives us to addiction, what is the experience like, and how can psychedelics play a part in tackling it?

First up we have a talk from Dr Ben Sessa, addiction psychologist and pioneer of medical psychedelic research. Ben is currently running trials on the effectiveness of MDMA as a treatment for alcoholism, and his talk will cover the mental, physical and social factors that drive addiction, as well as new opportunities for treatment.

Next we'll be screening Detox or Die, a film by David Graham Scott following a small-time drug addict seeking redemption. Addicted to opiates for almost 20 years, David decides to opt for a quick fix. The radical psychedelic detox agent ibogaine puts the user into a gut-wrenching hallucinatory state for 36 hours, from which he emerges cleansed of his addiction. But several fatalities have been reported in connection with the unlicensed drug, and Scott must weigh up the options before embarking on the trip of a lifetime.

This will be followed by a panel discussion with the director, Dr Sessa, and other professionals using psychedelics and psychoactive substances in the treatment of addiction.