The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) transforms complex data into insights that reflect real human experiences. Every aspect of the Canadian Substance Use Cost and Harms (CSUCH) project represents individuals with lived or living experience of substance use, along with their families, workplaces, and communities.

A new resource highlights these journeys and the human cost of substance use through illustrated stories from people with lived experience and their families. The illustrations cover three key areas of the CSUCH project: healthcare, lost productivity, and...

In this reading list, we provide resources to help engage our members with the latest knowledge, tools, and case studies on quality standards in substance use disorder treatment . These materials highlight international frameworks, research-backed practices, and country-level initiatives designed to improve access, strengthen systems, and ensure safe, ethical, and effective care. 

Together, they offer a practical foundation for policy-makers, service providers, researchers, and healthcare professionals to reflect on what “quality” means in treatment and how to achieve it across diverse...

The 2025 Annual Report to the Parliament on Drug Addictions in Italy offers a comprehensive overview of the current drug addiction landscape. Despite a slight decline in youth drug use for the first time since 2018, the report highlights ongoing challenges, particularly with substances like cocaine, synthetic opioids, and high-potency cannabis derivatives. Law enforcement and judicial efforts remain strong, and Italy continues to be a key collaborator in global anti-drug initiatives, particularly with countries in South America and the Indo-Pacific region.

The report also emphasizes the...

ISSUP, in collaboration with Faces & Voices of Recovery, has launched a new Global Recovery Network webinar series to spotlight diverse perspectives on recovery. The first webinar featured Dr. Haner Hernández, a respected expert in the field and a person in long-term recovery. Dr. Hernández currently serves as a Senior Consultant to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and plays a key role in advancing health equity, workforce development, and recovery support. His presentation provided an insightful and inclusive overview of multiple pathways to recovery, grounded in both...

Background
Smoking is one of the top causes of preventable death and is linked to many serious health problems, including cancer and chronic diseases. Nurses can play a big role in helping people quit smoking by offering support through counselling, education, and mental health care. These nurse-led programs have been shown to increase quit rates. Training nurses to deliver these programs is important, and reviewing past studies helps us understand what works best.

Methods
Researchers searched eight major health databases between March 27 and August 1, 2024, to find studies on nurse-led...

The UNODC #ScaleUp Initiative is a vital response to the growing global challenge of stimulant use disorders, which affect millions of individuals worldwide. In 2021, approximately 78 million people used substances like amphetamines, cocaine, or ecstasy non-medically, with stimulant use ranking as the second most common drug use worldwide. However, effective treatment options remain limited, with significant gaps in both access and equity, particularly for women. In response, UNODC launched the #ScaleUp initiative during the 2024 Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) session to scale up combined...