EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In 2024, a public call from the Ministry of Education and Science for the contracting of a higher education institution to design and implement a training programme in strategies for preventing psychoactive substance use, within the framework of the Pilar Project, aimed at educators and officials involved in the development of the Sumar Plan.

The Norberto Bobbio School of Government and Public Policy, the host organisation of ISSUP Paraguay, was awarded the contract.

The training programme design included three courses: one for 30 (thirty) technicians from the...

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...

INTRODUCTION: According to Brichcín (1999), a self-regulating person is someone who can resist the temptation of immediate gratification of their needs and is capable of achieving challenging goals. Self-regulation represents the ability to make free and responsible choices and actions in relation to oneself, others, and the environment, in spite of deterministic influences. In real life, this relationship may also be reflected by the quality of mental health and engagement in risk behaviors during adolescence (Jessor & Jessor, 1977). The aim of the present paper was to investigate the...

INTRODUCTION: The impact of ongoing conflict in the country on substance use among youth remains unclear. This study aims to identify the risk factors for substance use among university students and their association with mental health problems and sociodemographic characteristics during the war in Ukraine.

METHODS: University students (N =1398) in Ukraine aged 18-20 (75.5% female) completed surveys on substance use, PTSD, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and a brief screening for insomnia and suicidal behaviour. ANOVA analysis was used to examine interaction between sociodemographic...

Previous studies have shown that when students perceive their parents set strict limits on underage drinking, they tend to consume less alcohol. However, the best ways to communicate these limits effectively remain unclear. To explore this, a recent study examined the potential impact of hypothetical text messages focused on drinking limits on students' estimated alcohol consumption.

The study involved 253 undergraduate students who participated in an online survey. They were asked to imagine a scenario where they planned to attend a night event that involved drinking. Each participant was...