The International Drug Policy Academy (IDPA), established by the Council of Europe's Pompidou Group, is dedicated to enhancing the capabilities of professionals involved in drug policy and addiction services. With over 50 years of international cooperation and capacity building, the IDPA aims to bridge the gap between policy, research, and practice across various sectors, fostering the development of coherent and sustainable drug policies.  

Objectives of the IDPA

• Capacity Building: Strengthening the skills of professionals for effective design, management and evaluation of drug...

CSUCH’s data visualisation tool can be used to estimate substance use trends across the country. The data helps inform programs, practices, and research to protect communities, save lives, and improve the well-being of people in Canada.

Spotlight: Top 3 causes of death due to substance use in Canada 

More than 200 people died each day due to substance use (SU) in 2020 (the latest year for which data are available). That works out to 73,994 deaths that year. The average age of death due to SU was 45 years. Tobacco use caused 63% (46,366) of SU-related deaths, followed by alcohol at 23%...

Addiction and obesity share similar neurological pathways, both linked to compulsive behaviors and the brain's reward system. Research has highlighted the potential of GLP-1 receptor agonists, originally developed for diabetes, to help manage both appetite and addictive cravings. These medications, such as semaglutide, may regulate addictive behaviors by influencing reward circuits in the brain. However, they come with potential side effects, and their long-term effects are still under investigation.

In addition, a new compound, 5-Methoxy-2-aminoindane (MEAI), is being researched for its...

The Global Recovery Network is committed to providing valuable and relevant content for our community. 

To ensure our upcoming webinar series aligns with the needs and interests of our audience, we have developed this survey with U.S. based Faces and Voices of Recovery to determine which topics may be of most relevance. Our goal is to offer webinars that not only inform but also develop and build skills that support recovery, advocacy, and professional growth.
 
Your feedback is crucial in helping us design a webinar series that resonates with and benefits you.

Click here to complete a short...

English:

The comorbidity between depression and alcohol consumption is a public health concern, affecting progression, treatment adherence, and outcomes. Alcohol use in Latin America exceeds the global average. This study examined the prevalence of depressive symptoms and risky alcohol consumption, considering gender and age, in 4,890 participants (ages 18-64) from six Latin American countries. Results showed women had higher risky alcohol consumption and more severe depressive symptoms than men. Younger adults (18-24) reported more depression symptoms. Women with risky alcohol consumption...

From September 11th to 13th, 2024, the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) participated in the European Society for Prevention Research (EUSPR) Conference held in Cremona, Italy.

The poster titled “Facilitators, Challenges, and Lessons Learnt from INEP Plus Spanish Language Version: Adapting Prevention Training for Spanish-Speaking Participants” and co-authored by Rasha Abi Hana, Rachele Donini, Jeff Lee, and José Luis Benítez Villa, highlighted findings from the Introduction to Evidence-Based Prevention (INEP) Plus Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) involving Spanish...

Background

Since 1996, an urban community-based organisation whose primary mission is to serve diverse94 and emerging community health needs has provided screening, testing, overdose prevention and training, referrals, and access to treatment for substance use disorders (SUD) and communicable diseases such as HIV through its Life Points harm reduction program.

Methods

As a partner in a State survey in 2021, the community organisation recruited a convenience sample of people who use drugs to participate in a survey focused on their substance use, healthcare, and barriers to SUD services...