Faith, spirituality and faith-based organisations can play an important role in addressing substance use, supporting recovery and responding to related vulnerabilities as well as crime. Across different cultural and community settings, they can provide identity, belonging, hope and sustained relationships, while often reaching individuals and families in ways that formal services cannot. 

But recognising this potential also raises important questions. How can faith communities ensure that the support they provide is informed by evidence? How can faith leaders be equipped with the knowledge...

Protecting young people from substance use and crime: building safer communities and pathways to support

Young people's involvement in substance use and crime cannot be understood without considering the environments in which they grow up. Family circumstances, social connections, exposure to violence and access to opportunities can influence vulnerability, while supportive relationships, education and community engagement can help protect young people and create pathways towards healthier futures.

These issues were explored during Addressing Youth Substance Use and Crime: Risk Factors and...

Evidence-based interventions can improve prevention, treatment and recovery outcomes, but knowing what works does not guarantee that people will benefit. Effective responses depend on trained professionals, supportive systems, coordinated services and the ability to translate research into everyday practice. Even when appropriate interventions exist, gaps in implementation, access and continuity of care can limit their impact.

These challenges were at the centre of From Evidence to Practice: Advances in Substance Use Disorder Care, held on 22 September during ISSUP’s 2026 virtual conference...

This scoping review explores the role of spirituality in substance use disorders (SUD) across psychological, biological and cultural dimensions. It reviews research on topics including spiritual awakening, drug craving, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, biological and neurological aspects of spiritual experiences, and the ways spirituality is understood across different cultural settings.

The review also considers the distinction between spirituality and religion and the role of spirituality in building recovery capital. While existing research points to several potentially important...

This scoping review examines the role of spirituality in substance use disorders across three interconnected areas: psychology, biology, and culture. It explores topics including spiritual awakening, the relationship between spirituality and drug craving, spirituality in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, and the psychological ways in which people understand substance use and recovery.

The review also considers biological research on spiritual experiences and brain processes, as well as cultural differences in how spirituality and religion relate to substance use and recovery. It highlights...

This qualitative study explores how spiritual experiences contribute to recovery from substance use disorders among 24 people who completed Christian faith-based rehabilitation programmes in Norway. Participants described experiencing loss of identity, hopelessness, and emotional distress before entering rehabilitation.

Within faith-based communities, experiences of forgiveness, belonging, and unconditional acceptance were described as important spiritual turning points. Participants associated these experiences with renewed meaning, dignity, and a changed sense of identity. The study...

This study describes an Islamic-inspired methadone maintenance treatment programme delivered in a mosque setting for 36 Muslim men who used heroin. The programme combined methadone treatment with peer support and religious counselling, exploring whether mosques could provide an accessible community setting for substance use treatment and longer-term recovery support.

After 12 months, the programme had an 80% retention rate, and all but one participant tested negative for opioids and other substances. Participants also reported reductions in substance use and improvements in general health and...