ISSUP at the 22nd Annual National Institute on Drug Abuse International Forum

The 22nd Annual National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) International Forum was held in Montreal, Canada from June 16th – 19th, 2017. The meeting was co-sponsored by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) and followed by a joint NIDA International Forum/College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD) poster session. The opening of the International Forum was chaired by NIDA’s International Programme Director, Steven W. Gust, and included a welcome address by CCSA’s Executive Director Rita Notarandrea.

This year NIDA’s International Forum addressed a range of important issues including marijuana research, policies and interventions, drug-related HIV/AIDS, kratom use and the introduction of the Drug Flow Consortium.

ISSUP was given the opportunity to introduce the organisation in the first plenary session “Drug Education and Training Opportunities” and participate in the joint NIDA International Forum/College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD) poster session. Charlotte Sisson, U.S. Department of State Senior Foreign Service Officer, provided background on the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement support of a new prevention and treatment specialist network platform called ISSUP. This network is also supported by a number of other international organisations including the Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Programme, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the World Health Organization, the African Union, and the Organization of Americans States. After Charlotte’s introduction Antonius Riva Setiawan, ISSUP’s National Chapter Coordinator, shared more detailed information about ISSUP. Riva described ISSUP’s initiatives to promote evidence-based practice through sharing information on a digital platform, holding an annual event and establishing ISSUP National Chapters around the world to increase local access to information.

ISSUP thanks NIDA for the opportunity to participate in the 22nd Annual National Institute on Drug Abuse International Forum.