Addictions: fourth European Conference in Lisbon. “Exploring challenges relating to drugs, alcohol, tobacco, gambling”

The fourth European Conference on addictions (23-25 November) will bring to Lisbon the greatest international experts. It will be an opportunity to take stock of the latest knowledge about such area and to “explore challenges relating to drugs, alcohol, tobacco, as well as addiction to screen time, gambling and other addictive behaviours” and to “build networks” with the professional expertise of those who deal in this area in different roles. The event is expected to see 1,800 people coming from 85 countries as well as over 1,000 lectures and 200 events. Issues will be addressed from multiple standpoints (political, regulatory, scientific as well as psychological and in terms of human rights) around a number of themes: global prospects on addictions and drug markets; culture of prevention; addictions and drinking problems; addictions and mental health; drug-related diseases and damages; behavioural addictions; current and future challenges in global drug policy. Each day will be opened by a plenary session (the selected themes are: pain medication and risk of addiction; rehabilitation; social inequalities and drinking), and there will be two “big debates”, one about “psychedelic therapy” and one about “addictions, compulsive behaviours and unhealthy habits”. Then, forums, workshops and discussion groups will investigate all such matters. The event is jointly organised by the General Directorate of Portugal for Intervention on Addictive Behaviours, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (based in Lisbon), the journal Addiction of the Society for the Study of Addiction and the International Society of Addiction Journal Editors.
Valentina Bombelli