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- Category: News
ECAD is happy to announce that one more Italian city, Troina, is now a new member of European Cities Against Drugs. Troina (or Traina in Sicilian) is a town and commune in the pro
vince of Enna, Sicily, situated in the Sicilian hills and is one of the highest places in Sicily.
On October 27, Salvatore Costantino Garchiolo, Mayor of Troina, signed the Stockholm Resolution at a national conference on illicit drugs.
ECAD director Jörgen Svidén participated in the conference as a speaker, along with several prominent speakers from Italy.
The conference, excellently moderated by ECAD's National representative in Italy, Mr Fabio Bernabei, gathered more than 250 participants.
The contact between Troina and ECAD is a consequence of Mr F. Bernabei`s thorough and impressive work for ECAD, which ECAD appreciate very much.
The city of Troina is affilliated to the recovery community of SanPatrignano, now with a new SanPatrignano branch office opened after the conference.
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This brochure is produced together with Swedish organisation RNS and is a selection of strong political statements, colourful presentations and lastest research results in prevention and treatment from all over the world to be disseminated at Drug Focus, a biggest Drug Policy Fair in Sweden that takes place at the end of October.
"Highlights..." is a compilation you can always return to for citations´ referral, basic data on research and for inspiration.
Contact ECAD Head Office to get a hard copy of the "Highligts..." printed in colour: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
You can download the broschure "Highlights from the III-rd World Forum Against Drugs" (PDF) here.
"Alone we are helpless; together we are unstoppable."
Robert L. Dupont, M.D.
Founder and President of the Institute for behavior and health, Inc., Maryland, USA
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- Category: News
As announced last week, October 18, the City of Klaipeda and Klaipeda University in Lithuania arranged international conference called “A Healthy City: The Reality and Future Prospects”.
This well visited and thoroughely organised conference had many topics to discuss in connection to drug abuse, as well as it had speakers from all over Europe. ECAD’s director Jörgen Svidén participated by giving a lecture on different patterns of drug use in Europe.
The City of Klaipeda has since long proved to be a very engaged and active member in ECAD, which is much appreciated. ECAD welcomes initiatives like this, where the participants get to listen to interesting speeches, to receive new information and knowledge, and to establish contacts with people from other parts in Europe than their own.
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- Category: News
Today, October 18, 2012, Lithuanian city of Klaipeda holds a conference on a concept of healthy cities 2009 - 2013, "A Healthy City: Reality and Future prospects".
This is an international conference with a focus on sharing experiences and health interests` inclusion into all local strategies.
Public sector specialists, representatives of academic community, experts and practicians will be participating.
ECAD Director Jörgen Svidèn is now in Klaipeda to make a statement at the conference and support one of the most active cities in ECAD network.
Next week ECAD will be speaking about the importance of prevention at the local conference in Sicily, Italy.
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- Category: News
ed Jägersberg near Norwegian city of Kristiansand - produced plenty of discussions. Colleagues and friends who participated in ECAD seminar and WeFree days talked a lot of learning about sobriety and filling the void of social exclusion with bridged relationships, not with drugs.The panelists of the first day, among them Rowdy Yates, a president of the European Federation of Therapeutic Communities (TC), agreed upon the thought that TC is not about living in a community, it is about learning to live right, to live a "normal" life, attaching value to the people, being responsible and less egocentrical.
Daily pressure and plenty of room for individualism distort general human values and often become the reason why drugs are being used in modern societies. Modern culture of youth is driven by immediate struggle for consuming everything right now and leaves little space and time for care or attention towards members of the family, friends and humanity in general.
Prevention and recovery is about giving the right skills and competences for young people and their families, being close to children, putting family members close to one another, TC panel participants consented.
Frans Koopmans, responsible for prevention and public relations at De Hoop Foundation, spoke about the right choices for young people, stressing that importance of influence of norms in social context must be addressed at all levels, governmental and local levels, as well as at the family level.
More than 2000 guests participated in the Forums on Friday and Saturday, October 5-6, including ex-Mayor of Milan Mrs. Letizia Moratti, a newly appointed President of RAI Mrs. Anna Maria Tarantola who was on the discussion panel on Saturday, together with Mr. Giovanni Serpelloni, Head of the antidrug policies of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and Dr. Gilberto Gerra, Chief for drug rehabilitation and prevention at the UNODC. Dr. Gerra pinpointed that interpersonal relationships lie at the heart of prevention. Recent American research revealed that 13-19 year old regular cannabis smokers have 8 to 10 points lower IQ than their drug-free counterparts. Thus cannabis smoking implies social and emotional impairment to the individual development of young people.
Quo prodis? - Who is interested in having a new generation of people having lower IQ, wondered Doctor Gerra openly.
Young people should act as protagonists against the normalisation of drug use for - "who wants to live in a society where drugs are a way of life?"
ECAD supports this message wholeheartedly and thanks SanPatrignano for this event of tremendous importance and for inspiring insight into their community life!
Download the Programme for WeFee Days (PDF)
Subcategories
The ECAD Mayors' Conference
28th Mayor's Conference - Invitation - May 11th and 12th, 2023 - Malta
On May 11th and 12th, the 28th ECADs Mayor's Conference will take place at Dolmen Hotel in Qwara, Malta. We warmly invite you to join us and expand your knowledge on prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and recovery. The conference will highlight best practices and research in the field. It will offer the opportunity to network with other ECAD members, representatives from local authorities, and non-governmental organisations. Registration is free for the first person attending from your organisation!
Additionally, the conference allows for a unique experience as it includes a full day of field visits on May 12th. All participants are invited to Komunita’ Santa Marija, which will be sharing information on their services, and their experiences, and will engage in discussions.
The Agenda has now been published! The deadline to register is April 22nd
Day 1
DATE | TIME | VENUE
11/05/2023 | 09:00 – 17:30 | The Oracle Conference Centre - Dolmen Hotel Qawra, St. Paul's Bay
08:30hrs – 09:00hrs| Registrations
09:00hrs – 09:05hrs| Welcome Address by the President of Local Councils’ Association - Mr Mario Fava
09:05hrs – 09:15hrs| Welcome Address by ECADs Chairman of the Board from Kristiansand, Norway - Mr Viggo Lütcherath
09:15hrs – 09:20hrs| Welcome Address by the Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government - Hon. Alison Zerafa Civelli
09:20hrs – 09:40hrs| Inspirational speech – “Push yourself to do it because no one else is going to do it for you” by the President Northern Regional Council & LCA Executive Member - Mr. Clifford Galea Vella Maslennikov
09:40hrs – 10:30hrs| Panel Discussion and Presentation – Discussing the Local Context
The prevention team within Sedqa would like to present the following studies.
Study 1: The Role of a Workplace Policy in Addressing Employees’ Substance Misuse Difficulties.
Aim: To explore the probability of an employee seeking support for a substance misuse difficulty elicited by the workplace ethic fostered by management. Through this paper, we seek to determine a possible correlation between the implementation of a substance misuse policy at the workplace, and employees’ probability to seek guidance and support from their employers for a substance misuse-related difficulty.
Study 2: A Substance Misuse Policy in the Workplace: Senior Leadership Teams’ Attitudes
Aim: To explore how senior leadership teams’ (SLTs) attitudes inform the drafting of a substance misuse policy and how those attitudes inform job retention procedures in the case of an employee disclosing a substance misuse difficulty. Uncovering SLTs’ attitudes toward addiction is essential to understand how these beliefs inform workplace policy aims and actions on substance misuse.
Keynote speakers representing Sedqa Prevention team:
Mr Jareth Grima – Social Worker
Ms Sheryl Spiteri – Prevention Team
Ms Stephanie Mizzi Cascun – Prevention Professional.
10:30hrs – 11:00hrs| Coffee Break
11:00hrs – 11:45hrs| Mr Jon Sigfússon Planet Youth – Evidence-based drug prevention.
Mr Sigfússon is the international programme director for the evidence-based Planet Youth Guidance primary community-based health promotion intervention. Over the course of 20 years, Mr Sigfússon directed the Icelandic Centre for Social Research and Analysis (ICSRA).
11:45hrs – 12:30hrs| Mr Matej Košir - Strategies and tactics to prevent cannabis legalisation in Slovenia - The power of prevention science and advocacy.
Mr Matej Košir has been working in prevention and advocacy in the field of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs for around 25 years. Since 2006, he has been involved in more than 30 European projects in the fields of health, justice, education, youth and research as a project or work package leader.
12:00hrs – 14:00hrs| Seated Buffet Lunch
14:00hrs – 14:45hrs| Profs. Christian Thurstone, MD - The impact of legalisation in Colorado, USA – challenges faced by [local] authorities and communities.
Profs. Thurstone is a professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado and a child psychiatrist who specialises in addiction treatment. He published some of the first papers on the potential effects of marijuana legalisation on youth and has devoted his professional life to preventing and treating adolescent substance misuse.
14:45hrs - 15:30hrs| Ms Mulka Nisic - Recovery Cities - Creating sustainable connections and networks in cities.
Ms Mulka Nisic has been involved as a Regional Project Manager and International Relations Officer at the NGO Celebrate Recovery, and Secretary General of the Recovered Users Network-RUN.
15:30hrs - 16:00hrs| Conclusive Remarks
16:00hrs – 17:30hrs| ECAD Plenary for ECAD Members only
19:30hrs – 23:00hrs| Welcome Dinner at The Pavilion Suite, Westin Dragonara St Julian’s - Separate Registration is required in the application form.
Day 2
DATE | TIME
12/05/2023 | 09:15 – 19:00
09:15hrs – 09:30hrs| Transport leaves from Dolmen Hotel & Salini Resort to Komunita Santa Marija
09:30hrs – 09:45hrs| Registration and Welcome Coffee
09:45hrs – 10:15hrs| Introduction to the services offered by Komunita’ Santa Marija.
10:15hrs – 11:00hrs| Sharing of good practices and discussion
11:00hrs – 11:30hrs| Tour around Komunita’ Sanata Marija premises
11:30hrs – 12:00hrs| Transport to Ħagar Qim in Qrendi
12:00hrs – 13:15hrs| Ħagar Qim Visit
13:15hrs – 13:30hrs| Transport to Xgħajra
13:30hrs – 16:00hrs| Lunch (you will have time for a short stroll by the seaside)
16:00hrs – 18:00hrs| Cultural Visit in Mdina – Visiting the National Museum of National History
18:00hrs – 19:30hrs| Visiting Dingli Cliffs
19:30hrs - 15:30hrs| Transport to Salini Resort and Dolmen Hotel
27th Mayors Conference - Gothenburg and online 2022
The 27th Mayors' Conference and 8th World Forum took place in Gothenburg and online 13-14th June 2022.
The World Forum and Mayor’s Conference is a meeting place for people from all continents who are working to prevent drug abuse, ensure evidence-based and gender-sensitive practices, increase access to treatment, and to promote recovery and reintegration services. This global forum is one of its kind where NGOs, self-help groups, treatment centres, scholars, local, regional, and national authorities, politicians and other decision-makers, and others from around the world will meet to share evidence and best practice experiences. This year’s World Forum will include three main tracks: Prevention, Treatment/Recovery, and Advocacy, which will stretch over 1,5 days followed by the WFAD Congress and ECAD Mayors plenary session.
We are proud to announce that the Forum was inaugurated by UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly and will be joined by experts from around the world.
Read more on the website: https://2022.wfad.se/ and access the full report here. 
26th Mayors Conference - Cork 2019 
25th MAYORS´ CONFERENCE
and 6th World Forum Against Drugs 
Conference materials
Kevin Sabet, PhD, Director, Drug Policy Institute, University of Florida, President, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), USA
Speech at the WFAD /ECAD 25th Mayors Conference, Gothenburg, May 15, 2018 (Video 5min.)
Supply reduction in Peril? A lot of the worlds`s drug supply emanates from a war-torn Columbia.
Dr. Michael Jonsson, FOI, Swedish Defence Research Agency
Text to the slides (PDF)
In Columbia, a peace deal has been struck, which gives hope for a closure of insurgency and violence. (PDF)
Thomas Pietschmann, Dr, Drug Research Section, Division for Policy Analysis and Public Affairs
The International drug control system, global/regional and national drug patterns and trends, and supply reduction efforts at the international level (PDF)
Photo: Götaplatsen @ Klas Eriksson
Annual Mayors` Conference and the 6th World Forum Against Drugs will take off on May 14-15 in Gothenburg this year.
This joint event will address a growing interest to the effective prevention practices, full recovery and alternatives to incarceration and to life-long dependency on drug treatment.
The conference will create a room for elaborating a practical guide to how a recovery city will look like, this will be grounded on the recent evidence-based research. Sheffield Hallam University (UK), Ghent University (Belgium) and the City of Gothenburg have already started working on this guide in practice.
In order to find out more and to register please visit a joint webpage here.
MAYORS` CONFERENCE 2017
ECAD 24th Mayors` Conference materials
On June 12-13, the city of Kaunas hosted ECAD 24th Annual Mayors`s Conference 2017
Safe Cities Without Drugs. Preventing, Protecting, Policing
Key-note speakers:
David W. Spencer, Field intelligence Manager, Drug Enforcement Agency, European Region
Supply reduction and dismantling drug trafficking organizations: In what ways can local communities benefit (PDF)
Kim Nilvall, Swedish National Bureau of Investigation, Intelligence section, Organized crime
Police work in socially disadvantaged areas in Sweden: Impact of drugs on urban crime (PDF)
Torsten Stodiek, Deputy Head, Strategic Police Matters Unit, Community Policing Advisor, Transnational Threats Department, OSCE
Preventing terrorism and countering violent extremism and radicalisation that lead to terrorism:
A community and intelligence led policing approach (PDF)
Jon Sigfusson, Director for Icelandic Centre of Social Research and Analysis, Reykjavik University, ICSRA
Youth in Europe and Planet Youth (PDF)
Laimonas Vasiliauskas, Senior Specialist, Serious and Organized Crime Department, EUROPOL
European Illicit Drug Market (PDF)
Antonio Boscini, Health Director, San Patrignano Community, Rimini, Italy
Recovery and social reinsertion: San Patrignano Community model extended (PDF)
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME (PDF)
FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT (PDF)
Conference Booking Form
Kaunas Castle
Picture: @Rokas Tenys
Warm welcome to Kaunas, Lithuania!