Associate Professor in Research, Dept of Clinical, Pharmaceutical & Biological Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK. Co-opted member of the Novel Psychoactive Substances and Technical Committees of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. Member of Psychopharmacology, Drug Misuse & Novel Psychoactive Substances Research Unit led by Prof. Schifano. John has the following qualifications: BA Hons (Open University), 2.1, 12 December 1988; MSc in Advanced Educational and Social Research Methods (Open University), 17 July 1991; MPhil in Sociology of Religion and Onomastics (King’s College London), 28 February 2001; PgCert in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (University of Hertfordshire), 21 September 2012; PhD in Pharmacology (University of Hertfordshire), 3 October 2024. Programme Manager of National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths from March 2005 & Volatile Substance Abuse Mortality Project from April 2009, up to October 2010, at St George’s, University of London. He spent 30 years (1975–2005) at the Home Office in various policy departments before joining its Research Development and Statistics Directorate in 1987; worked as a criminologist before focussing on drug-related research and statistics. UK expert to the EMCDDA on drug-related mortality (2000-15). Current interests include toxicology and mortality, especially natural psychoactive substances. Fellow of Higher Education Academy; LTG (London Toxicology Group). ORCID no: 0000-0002-3849-817X