Publications

This research project on drug-treatment systems in prisons in Eastern and South-East Europe looks in detail into the situation of drug users among criminal justice populations and the corresponding health-care responses in nine countries in Eastern and South-East Europe – Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” and Ukraine – and Kosovo*.

Abstract

Drug addiction refers to a broad phenotype, encompassing behavioral, cognitive, and biological (including genetic) substrates. Twin studies have estimated the heritability of drug addiction between 30% and 60%. Dopamine has a major role in different facets of addiction, including the reinforcing effects of addictive drugs or their aversive effects.

One of our selection of hot topics on important issues which sometimes generate heated debate. Both as a treatment resource for the patient and a group needing support in their own right, families affected by substance use are, claimed a UK report in 2012, the “forgotten carers”.

'Million Hearts' is an initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that aims to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes by promoting evidence-based intervention through communities, health systems, non-profit organizations, federal agencies, and private-sector partners.

Keeping Youth Drug Free is a new publication from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Aimed at parents, the guide offers advice for keeping children substance-free. It includes a review of the latest statistics on adolescent substance use, as well as tips for effective communication between parent/carer and child.

‘The Adolescent Brain – Wired for Taking Risks’ is a briefing paper from Mentor ADEPIS and forms part of a series of such resources on drug and alcohol education and prevention for teachers and practitioners. It takes a look at the role that the brain plays in risk-taking behaviours, including substance abuse, during adolescence. The paper also considers possible ways for mitigating such behaviours and their related harms among young people.

Seizing on the theory’s propaganda value, in 1997 the head of the US National Institute on Drug Abuse proclaimed, “Addiction Is a Brain Disease, and It Matters.” His contention has been hailed as a breakthrough or condemned as a counterproductive chimera, closing our eyes what is really important about addiction.

La Agenda Nacional de Investigación para la Lucha contra las Drogas 2016 - 2021 define líneas estratégicas y temáticas prioritarias de investigación que abarquen los diferentes aspectos y complejidades de la problemática de las drogas en el Perú. Asimismo, genera un precedente importante para el fomento de acciones orientadas a la mejora del diseño, implementación y evaluación de políticas y programas. 

The first matrix cell on treatment (as opposed to harm reduction) seems a good time to ask: What is treatment there to do? ‘Cure’ addiction, or promote meaningful and productive lives? Meet patients’ wishes, or aid the government’s welfare-to-work agenda? And what do the patients want? Is treatment pushing them in the opposite direction?

2nd Edition, 2011: A series of strength-based resources developed by Pamela Woll for the Great Lakes ATTC, to help prepare the civilian mental health and addiction treatment workforce to address post-deployment stress injuries. This series includes a Clinician's Guide and a pocket booklet for service members and veterans.

Consolidates the lessons of the first five instalments of the online course on drug treatment research. The five cells in row 1 explored key research on reducing harm to the user as a result of their drug use.

Increasing the price of alcohol is one of the most effective policy measures to reduce overall consumption in a country, and hence to reduce the level of alcohol-related harm. Taxation is a common way to control the price of alcoholic beverages, and when adjusted according to inflation, it can be an effective measure to reduce harm while providing revenue for governments.

Key findings

In 2016:

The Drug Addiction and Opioid Crisis

The primary goal of the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis is to develop an effective set of recommendations for the President to combat the opioid crisis and drug addiction in our nation.

Online course moves on to the whole-system level, where treatment and harm reduction services working in synergy are the best hope for reversing the hepatitis C epidemic - but can any feasible local or national system succeed in this daunting task?

Indonesia's anti-drug agency, BNN, produced its national drug use survey in collaboration with the University of Indonesia.  Released in February 2017 and covering data from 2016, this report reports on drug use among 11 to 27 year olds.  The report is only available in Bahasa.

Summary

Nearly 10 million individuals in the United States are estimated to live with a diagnosable psychiatric condition sufficiently serious to impair their personal, social and economic functioning. Hardly a day goes by without a study, headline, court case or legislative action calling for reform of the mental health system to better serve this population. Often, these calls to action end in two words: “More beds.”

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND

Although the opioid epidemic is a national issue, states shoulder the majority of the financial and social burden caused by addiction. Fortunately, there are many actions that states can take to effectively address the opioid epidemic and the larger public health crisis of addiction.  

This interactive game lets you look into the brain of mice under the influence of different drugs. You can study the different brain mechanisms that are triggered with various common illicit substances. 

ABSTRACT

Fentanyl and its analogues are potent synthetic opioids, which are liable to abuse. They are often sold under the guise of heroin or prescription medicines, such as oxycodone, and this exacerbates the risk of overdose and associated fatalities. An increasing number of deaths have been associated with the use of fentanyl and its analogues, particularly in North America.

This study set out to explore the effect of non-dependent parental drinking on children, making a direct link between parental drinking habits and the attitudes, behaviours and impacts reported by their children.