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.

Under the patronage of H.M. Queen Silvia of Sweden
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.
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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.

Find the Full Programme Here
Read the Suggested Plan of Action 2019-2020 Here
Find the full report Here
Visit the Photo Gallery Here

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
The seminar discussed gender-responsive treatment and recovery processes for women. Women’s substance abuse is more stigmatized and less likely to be acknowledged than men’s.

We know less about the prevalence and patterns of women’s substance abuse and their treatment needs, but we know that women in particular face barriers to treatment. Globally one-third of every drug user is a woman but only one out of five in treatment is a woman.

In this session research on gender-sensitive treatment as well as examples from Sweden and Pakistan, where the first treatment centre for women has just opened, was put forward.

Speakers:
Deirdre Boyd
DB Recovery Resources

Presentation

Asia Ashraf
Director Psychology Department, Sunny Trust International Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre, Pakistan

Presentation

Leena Haraké
Women’s Organisations Committee on Alcohol and Drugs, Sweden

Presentation

Moderator:
Regina Mattsson
Chair, UN Women Gothenburg, Sweden

B) International Standards on Prevention
Prevention of drug use is one of the key provisions of international drug control systems to protect the health and welfare of mankind.
In March 2018 the updated version of the International standards on prevention was presented. The update is done jointly by UNODC and WHO.
​​​​​​​
The [international] standards were presented together with examples on implementation of best practices from different parts of the world.

Speakers:
Wadih Maalouf
PhD, Programme Office, Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Section, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Presentation


Sue Thau
Public Policy Consultant, Community Anti-Drugs Coalitions, USA

Moderator:
Jo Baxter
Executive Director, Drug-Free Australia, Vice President WFAD

Here you can find a summary of the session. Please note that the summary drafted during the remarks while presented by the individual at the World Forum Against Drugs. It has not been reviewed or approved by the speaker. It is not to be considered complete. It is for educational purposes and is not to be quoted or cited as a direct source.

C) Supply Reduction in Peril
Production of opium poppy has reached an all-time high in Afghanistan which amounts to most of Much of the world’s drug supply emanates from two war-torn countries – Colombia and Afghanistan.

In Afghanistan, the opium economy has not been broken and the Taliban insurgency seems likely to persist for a long time. In Colombia, a peace deal has been struck which gives hope for the closure of insurgency and violence. But what will happen to the country’s cocaine production? How should the international community react to the opium and cocaine production?

Speakers:
Dr. Thomas Pietschmann
Research Officer, UNODC

Presentation

Dr. Michael Jonsson
FOI – Swedish Defence Research Agency
Presentation

Moderator:
Bob Bushman
President National Narcotics Officers’ Association Coalition, USA

D) Sustainable Cities
In many parts of the world, we can see a trend of increasing social risks, socioeconomic disadvantage and less capacity of its inhabitants to develop their human capacity.

The result is often a decrease in institutional trust and an increase in urban violence and organized crime.
To tackle this; to build a sustainable city takes time and can only be achieved through cooperation between local stakeholders and governmental institutions. In this session, both the research area and best practices were presented.

Speakers:
Kim Nilvall
Swedish National Police (NOA), Sweden
Presentation

Johanna Gripenberg
Medical Doctor at the Karolinska Institute and Director of STAD, Sweden

Moderator:
Mary Shields
ECAD Board Member
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
Everybody with drug use disorder must have access to a wide range of services. Harm reduction, treatment and rehabilitation should be integrated and must aim to maximise the affected individual’s possibility to recover.

In this session, we will focus on how we can use harm reduction measures to promote recovery. How can we improve Medical Assisted Treatment so more people can be encouraged to move forward in the recovery process?

Organisations working with the whole chain from harm reduction interventions to reintegration into society will also present their work and best practices.

Speakers:
Ivan Celic
MD, psychiatrist-addictologist, Head of the Department of Dual Diagnosis, University Psychiatric Hospital Vraspce – Zagreb, Croatia 

Abbas Deilamizade
Managing Director, Rebirth Society, Iran 

Margaret Kasoma
Serenity Harm Reduction Program Zambia 

Moderator:
Monica Barzanti
San Patrignano Foundation, Italy

B) Prevention in a Changing World
The world is developing and changing in what seems like an increasing speed. New technologies and preconditions are some of the challenges and possibilities that the youth of today is facing.

How can we best take advantage of the possibilities to face the challenges of today with for example new drugs entering the market?
Youth organizations from around the world will tell us about their experiences and practices.

Speakers:
Mentor Arabia Foundation
Lebanon
Presentation

D.A.R.E. International Youth Advocacy Board
United States of America

Immaculate Nanziri
Senior Social Worker, Uganda Youth Development Link, Uganda

Moderator:
Håkan Leifman
Director, Swedish Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs, Sweden

C) Cannabis, Lack of Control
This session included an update around the latest research on cannabis as well as an overview on the development in the US, with a special focus on the development in Colorado, one of the first states to legalize and commercialize cannabis in the US.

Speakers:
Bertha K. Madras
PhD, Professor of Psychobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

Presentation

Justin Luke Riley
President & CEO, Young People in Recovery

George Ochieng Odalo
Executive Director, Slum Child Foundation, Kenya

Presentation

Moderator:
Fred Nyberg
Professor at Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Sweden

D) Recovery Cities
Recovery from drug addiction is possible. While individuals can attempt to overcome their addiction, they can only do so much on their own. After all, recovery is not only about controlling drug use but also requires meaningful activities and positive social networks that foster a sense of self-worth and belonging as well as the hope that change is possible. It also requires a community that is willing to accept that people can recover and reintegrate.

Sheffield Hallam University, Ghent University and the city of Gothenburg in Sweden have started to outline how a recovery city would look like in practice.

Speakers:
David Best
Professor and Head of Criminology, Sheffield Hallam University, UK

Charlotte Colman
Prof. Dr., University of Ghent
Presentation: [Recovery] Inclusive Cities

Here you can find a summary of the session. Please note that the summary was drafted during the session and it is intended solely for educational purposes and should not be used for direct quotations.

E) Prevention i Teori och Praktik
Speaker:
Visst finns det evidens för framegångsrikt förebyggande arbete mot droger
Professor Charli Eriksson
Örebro Universitet
Presentation

Lokalt förebyggande arbete i Göteborg
Ulla Kungur
Utvecklingsledare, Kunskapskällar’n, Göteborgs stad

Jessica Andersson
Utvecklingsledare, Kunskapskällar’n, Göteborgs stad
Presentation

Vi har en drogfri skola – hur bar vi oss åt?
Staffan Hübinette
Lärare och författare

Bert-Inge Karlsson
Skolkurator, Klippans Gymnasieskola

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
The 2016 UNGASS Outcome Document provides a comprehensive menu for the broad, balanced and effective drug policy, based on public health, human rights and the three international drug conventions. Now the challenge is implementation at the national and local level.

The Global South has its specific challenges in policy implementation, in particular, to link drug policies with development efforts. On the other hand, there are also unique qualities that can be used for mobilizing citizens and communities.

Experienced NGOs and national representatives will discuss challenges and possibilities and present tools used and progress made. They will also present policy recommendations to governments.

Speakers:
Eze Eluchie
Executive Director, People Against Drugs Dependence and Ignorance, Nigeria

Presentation

Issah Ali
Executive Director, Vision for Alternative Development, Ghana

Presentation

Niklas Martti
Programme Manager, IOGT-NTO Movement

Presentation

Dr. Victor Okioma
CEO, NACADA, Kenya

Presentation

Moderator:
Dag Endal
Project Coordinator, FORUT, Norway
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
Kvinnors rätt till Drogfri behandling

Speakers:
Leena Haraké
Kanslichef, Kvinnoorganisationernas Samarbetsråd i Alkohol- och Narkotikafrågor

Sara Woldu
Kriminellas revansch i Samhället

Lena Stenberg
Grundare och behandlingsansvarig, Kvinnohemmet Rosen

Kerstin Eriksson
Förbundssekreterare, Svenskar och Invandrade mor Narkotika
Seminar 4 – 13:00-14:30

A) Recovery Ready Communities
This session will elaborate on what is necessary for society to enable recovery from substance use disorder and associated high-risk behaviours.

We go into depth on what it will take to make our communities recovery-ready. We will also learn from practical experience on housing, social enterprise and mapping of existing resources in society.

Speakers:
Justin Luke Riley
President & CEO, Young People in Recovery, USA 

Boro Goic
Chair, Celebrate Recovery, Bosnia and Herzegovina 

Peter Johansson & AnnCharlotte Gustavsson
Vägen Ut! Sweden

Moderator:
Linda Nilsson
World Federation Against Drugs

B) Recovery Initiated from the Criminal Justice System
Instead of being an obstacle to recovery, the criminal justice system should become a powerful engine of recovery. Alternatives to incarceration and care after prison are key factors to encourage recovery for people in contact with the criminal justice system.
​​​​​​​
In this session solution-focused courts movements were highlighted, the Drug Treatment Courts and Hawaii’s Opportunity Probation with Enforcement will be presented. Also, the Recovery movement will present how they are working with motivation and coaches in a prison setting.

Speakers:
Judge Peggy Fulton Hora
President of the Justice Speakers Institute, USA

Steve Alm
Hawaii’s Opportunity Probation with Enforcement, USA

Ali Reunanen
Criminals Return into Society, Sweden

Moderator:
Mike Sabin
former drug enforcement detective, drug policy and education specialist, New Zealand

C) Iceland Knows How To Stop Teen Substance Abuse, but the Rest of the World is Not Listening
In Iceland, substance use levels have decreased consistently for over 20 years to very low figures. The key to Iceland’s success lies in the use of evidence-based primary prevention programs that seek to affect a real change in youth behaviour, not in their attitudes.

Through a scientific mapping of risk and protective factors in the lives of children and their local communities, tailor-made and consistent action can be taken at the local, regional and national level to improve living conditions and the way that children are brought up.

The results are so strong and well documented that the rest of the world is beginning to see that Iceland may be revolutionizing the way we understand prevention and what it can accomplish. Local communities in more than 40 countries are now seeking to implement the model.

Speakers:
Jon Sigfusson
Director Icelandic Centre for Social and Research Analysis
Video of Presentation

Patricia Ros Garcia
Director Service of Drugs Prevention, City Hall of Tarragona

Adrian Sarbu
Head of Department for the Relation with the Civil Society and other Social Actors from the General Directorate of Social Welfare, Bucharest Municipality

Moderator:
Viggo Lütcherath
Chair ECAD

D) Polisens nya strategi mot narkotikan
Kriminalpolitiskt samtal

Vad ska polisen göra mot narkotikan?
Polisen antar under 2018 en ny narkotikastrategi. Vad är polisens uppdrag när det gäller att bekämpa narkotika? Hur sker arbetet idag och vad händer vid ett ingripande mot en ung person som endast använder narkotika, en langare som säljer småskaligt, grov narkotikasmuggling samt personer med tyngre missbruk? Vilken roll spelar narkotikabekämpningen för beivrandet av annan kriminalitet såsom exempelvis gängskjutningar och organiserad brottslighet?
Vilka påföljder finns tillgängliga för att avstyra pågående missbruk? Saknas vissa påföljder? Vad kan utvecklas? Behöver polis och socialtjänst/sjukvård samarbeta mer?

Medverkande: 
Lennart Karlson
Förste kommissarie – Norrmalmspolisen

Annika Ljung
Gruppchef gatulangning – Södermalmspolisen

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