The 6th Forum
The 6th World Forum Against Drugs 2018 & the 25th ECAD Mayors’ Conference was held at Elite Park Avenue in Gothenburg, Sweden on May 14 and 15.

Overall, the UN Drug Conventions are clear on what goals drug preventive work should have. Still, there are different views on how this work should be carried out in practice.
The Gothenburg events went into-depth on the best practices and strategies for implementing the updated international standards for prevention since international cooperation on drug policy still faces many challenges.
More specifically, the following example topics were discussed recovery as a goal for treatment, how the criminal justice system can work with providers of treatment and other services for drug users, why it is important to take gender aspects into consideration when providing treatment.
The Forum and Conference have been organised in association with:

Gothenburg is ideal for meetings and congresses. We offer world-class venues, great connections and 93% environmentally certified hotel rooms. Gothenburg Convention Bureau was there to help you realise your plans.——————————————————-
The Forum was financially supported by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, SWEDEN

Swedish National Movement Against Drugs
The Swedish National Movement Against Drugs (FMD in Swedish) consist of more than 20 Swedish organisations working together for a drug-free Sweden. FMD owns and arranges the Swedish National Forum Sweden Against Drugs.
FMD works to maintain a restrictive drug policy that prioritises a wide range of preventive efforts, concerning all types of illegal substances. FMD emphasises actual links between the use of tobacco, alcohol, doping, and illicit drugs.
Most of the presentations given during the conference can be found online either in text, video, and/or a PowerPoint presentation. Below you can find the documentation available for each presentation in each session.
Day 1 – Monday 14th of March 2018
10:00-12:00 Official Inauguration – Bankett
Ann-Sofie Hermansson Chair of the City Executive Board, Gothenburg, Sweden Written Statement Video of Statement |
Dr. Victor Okioma CEO, NACADA, Kenya Video of Statement |
Dag Endal Project Coordinator, Drug Policy Futures Written Statement Video of Statement |
Sven-Olov Carlsson International Preseident, World Federation Against Drugs Written Statement Video of Statement |
Senator Joshua Lidani Senate Committee Chair on Drugs and Narcotics, Nigeria |
Željko Petković Acting Director, Office for Drugs and Crime, Government of Croatia Video of Statement |
Viggo Lütcherath Chair, ECAD Written Statement Video of Statement |
Heiða Björg Hilmisdóttir City Counsellor, Reykjavik, Iceland Video of Statement |
Bertha Madras Professor of Psychobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, USA Presentation Video of Presentation |
The afternoon consisted of 2 different seminars with 5 different breakout sessions each, which were held simultaneously.
Seminar 1 – 13:00-14:30
A) Gender, Treatment, Recovery Asia Ashraf Leena Haraké |
B) International Standards on Prevention
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C) Supply Reduction in Peril Dr. Michael Jonsson |
D) Sustainable Cities Johanna Gripenberg |
E) Internationell Narkotikapolitik Narkotika har funnits genom mänsklighetens historia sedan tusentals år tillbaka och använts för berusning, som läkemedel eller i religiösa syften. Genom FNs narkotikakonventioner är all icke-medicinsk och icke-vetenskapligt användande av narkotika förbjuden. Användningen begränsas till ungefär 5 % av världens vuxna befolkning vilket är långt mindre än både alkohol och tobak, vilka är lagliga droger. Trots internationella konventioner och en gemensam samsyn om att narkotikans problem är gränsöverskridande finns det ett antal olika förhållningssätt mellan jordens länder. Vilka olika strategier finns för att hantera narkotikaproblemet? Vad händer i USA, Kanada, Portugal och Norge? Vad säger de asiatiska länderna och Ryssland? Hur står sig den svenska modellen mot andra alternativ? Speakers: Svenska ungdomars drogvanor i ett europeiskt perspektiv Björn Hibell En av grundare till ESPAD-studien som jämför ungdomars drogvanor Presentation Svensk Narkotikapolitik Per Johansson Secretary-General, Swedish National Association for Drug-Free Society Narkotika ur ett globalt perspektiv Erik Leijonmarck Secretary-General, ECAD Presentation |
Seminar 2 – 15:15-16:45
A) Treatment and Harm Reduction – as a part of Recovery Process Abbas Deilamizade Margaret Kasoma |
B) Prevention in a Changing World D.A.R.E. International Youth Advocacy Board Immaculate Nanziri |
C) Cannabis, Lack of Control Justin Luke Riley George Ochieng Odalo |
D) Recovery Cities Charlotte Colman |
E) Prevention i Teori och Praktik Jessica Andersson Bert-Inge Karlsson |
Day 2 – Tuesday 15th of May 2018
09:00-10:00 Plenary Session-Bankett
Karin Jordås Secretary-General, Menotor International, Sweden Video of Statement |
Wadih Maalouf International Standards on Prevention PhD, Programme Office, Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Section, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Written Statement Video of Statement |
Paul Molloy Founder and CEO, Oxford House, USA Written Statement Video of Statement |
Seminar 3 – 10:30-12:00
A) New Research on Recovery The latest research on recovery will be presented from Sheffield Hallam University, by one of the leading researchers on Recovery in the world. Find the full summary of recovery cities here Speaker: David Best Professor Criminology, Department of Law and Criminology, Sheffield Hallam University, UK Presentation Moderator: Mulka Nisic Celebrate Recovery, Bosnia and Herzegovina |
B) Implementation of the UNGASS Outcome Document in the Global South Issah Ali Niklas Martti Dr. Victor Okioma |
C) Organised Crime, Illicit Drugs and Terrorism Illicit drug production in weak states has enriched guerrillas, militias, organized crime groups, terrorist groups and corrupt governments alike. Violence, corruption and insecurity threaten the integrity and legitimacy of governments and their institutions. Yet, it is not so easy as to equate tough drug control with increased levels of violence. The illicit drug trade is more violent in some parts of the world than in others. What are the linkages between organized crime, drug trade and terrorism? What blame can be attributed to the so-called war on drugs and how should the vicious cycle of state fragility, conflict and weak rule of law be turned into a virtuous cycle of increased security and development? Speaker: Dr. Vanda Felbab-Brown Senior Fellow, Brooking Institute Video of Presentation Moderator: Walter Kegö Senior Fellow, Institute for Security and Development Policy, Sweden |
D) Vård och behanding Sara Woldu Lena Stenberg Kerstin Eriksson |
Seminar 4 – 13:00-14:30
A) Recovery Ready Communities Boro Goic Peter Johansson & AnnCharlotte Gustavsson |
B) Recovery Initiated from the Criminal Justice System Steve Alm Ali Reunanen |
C) Iceland Knows How To Stop Teen Substance Abuse, but the Rest of the World is Not Listening Patricia Ros Garcia Adrian Sarbu |
D) Polisens nya strategi mot narkotikan Annika Ljung |
The Conference was closed by 8 speakers
Peter Boyce National Narcotics Officers’ Association Coalition, USA Written Statement |
Asia Ashraf Director Psychology Department, Sunny Trust International Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre, Pakistan Written Statement |
Kevin Sabet Smart Approaches to Marijuana |
Thomas Pietschmann Research Officer, UNODC |
Johanna Gripenberg MD, PhD, Head of Department, Stockholm Prevents Alcohol and Drug Problems, Sweden Written Statement |
Boro Goic Chair, Recovered Users Network Written Statement |
Marina Johansson City Counsellor, City of Gothenburg, Chair, ECAD-Sweden |
Robert L. DuPont President, Institute for Behaviour and Health, USA Written Statement |