Peter Allebeck, Professor of Social Medicine at the Karolinska Institute. His main research areas are epidemiology and health services research with focus on substance abuse and mental health problems. A major research project has been a longitudinal follow-up study of a national cohort of Swedish military conscripts. Research questions related to the use of alcohol and drugs, and in particular cannabis, has been extensively studied in this cohort. Peter Allebeck is also engaged in public health work in the Stockholm County Council and as advisor to the National Institute of Public Health, mainly on issues related to alcohol and drugs.

Steven S. Alm has been a Circuit Court Judge in Honolulu, Hawaii since 2001. He presides over a felony caseload. From 1994-2001, Judge Alm was the United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii. Born and raised in Hawaii, and experienced with working with local law enforcement from his nine years as a local deputy prosecutor prior to that, Judge Alm made federal/local law enforcement partnerships and cooperation his top priority as U. S. Attorney. The Hawaii Weed and Seed program, initiated in 1998, has been very successful, and he brought that collaborative strategy to bear in starting HOPE Probation in October, 2004. In 2007, HOPE Probation received the American Judicature Society’s Special Merit Citation Award, and in January, 2009, Judge Alm received the McGovern Award presented by the Institute for Behaviour and Health for the most promising drug policy idea of the year.

Prior to working the alcohol and drug sector, Ms Baxter held the position of Educational Manager in the TAFE sector in Australia, where she made a significant contribution to quality management in international programs in Bangladesh, India, Italy and the United Kingdom. During this time she completed two research scholarships in the United States.

Ms Baxter entered the Alcohol and Drug sector as CEO of Life Education in South Australia in January, 2000. Two years later she was promoted to the position of National Director of Programs & Training for Life Education Australia, based in Sydney.

Ms Baxter has worked closely with alcohol and drug rehabilitation teams at Odyssey House (Victoria). In her current position as Executive Director, Drug Free Australia, she oversees strategies in capacity building, project management and community development, focussing on drug prevention. Ms Baxter is a member of the Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) and the International Taskforce for Strategic Drug Policy. In 2009 she was elected Vice President, World Federation Against Drugs.

Fabio Bernabei is an Italian journalist and writer born in Rome where he studied Pedagogy. Expert in drug prevention policies, he became consultant for the Italian National Department for Anti-Drugs Policies and senior advisor for the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Mr. Bernabei has written extensively on many drug related issues. His latest book is Storia Moderna della droghe. Dalle utopie alla realtá (Pagine, 2010).

He is Editor of the news agency OsservatorioDroga.it and Italian delegate for Drug Watch International (DWI).

Bridget G. Brennan has been New York City’s Special Narcotics Prosecutor since 1998. Appointed by New York City’s five elected District Attorneys, Ms Brennan is the first woman to hold that position. Ms. Brennan is in charge of an agency solely dedicated to the investigation and prosecution of narcotics offenses in New York City.

Ms. Brennan joined the Office in 1992 and served as the second in command from 1995 to 1997. Prior to that, she was the Chief of the Special Investigations Bureau, overseeing some of the most significant narcotics investigations in the country.

Ms. Brennan has been has been a prosecutor since 1983 when she joined the New York County District Attorney’s Office as an Assistant District Attorney.

Before her legal career, she was a print, radio and television reporter in her native Wisconsin. Ms. Brennan graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School with a Jurist Doctor degree. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin.

Sven Britton, MD 1965, PhD 1970 became Professor of Infectious Diseases 1985 and Professor Emeritus in Infectious Diseases 2006, at Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. Dr. Britton served as visiting professor UCLA, Los Angeles, USA in the 1970s, Director at Armauer Hansen Institute, Addis Ababa 1984-1985 and 1996-1998 and Assistant Dean, Faculty of Medicine, National University, Rwanda 2005-2008.

Dr. Britton has written 170 original scientific articles in international journals. Main subjects of research are; Immunology of infections, side effects of infectious disease therapy, co-infections of HIV, immunology of leprosy, immunology of tuberculosis, adjunct therapy of tuberculosis, pathogenesis of Buruli Ulcer, adjunct treatment of Buruli Ulcer. Dr. Britton is head of research for Sweden’s first baseline study on blood-borne infections among injecting drug users.

Dr. Britton is politically active for the Socialdemocratic party and he is a candidate for the Swedish Parliament in the 2010 election.

Sven-Olov Carlsson, Bachelor of Science, started his work career as a Municipal Chief Executive and worked for 20 years in this field. Since 2002 he is the International President of IOGT International, a worldwide community of NGOs working in the field of alcohol and drug policy and prevention. Mr. Carlsson is member of the Board of Eurocare – the European Alcohol Policy Alliance, Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA) and International Council on Alcohol and Addictions (ICAA). Between 1995-2009 he was the President of IOGT-NTO in Sweden. Mr. Carlsson was also the President of the Swedish Youth Temperance Organization (UNF) between 1977-1981.

In 2009 he was elected the International President of World Federation Against Drugs.

Dr. Pinto Coelho is Graduate in Medicine and Surgery, School of Medicine in Lisbon, Portugal, 1972 and is registered with the College of Physicians nº 13585. He was Clinical Director of Ex Dr. Pinto Coelho´s Drug Rehabilitation Centers , was also ex Consultant in the field of Drug Addiction to the municipality of Lisbon and Internship in Drug Addiction at the University of Paris-Cochin, Hospital de Saint-Anne, Paris, France.

Dr. Pinto Coelho is since 2004 chairman of the UNODC´s ONG Association For a Drug-Free Portugal and he organised the 1st International Symposium to Discuss Models for the Prevention/Treatment of Drug Addiction, held in Lisbon in October 2005.

He is author of various papers, books and articles on Drugs and Drug Addiction since 1986, among them: “Toxicomania: – A Liberdade Começa no Corpo” (Craving for Drugs – Freedom Comes From Within), “Correio da Manhã”, 1986. “Toxicodependência: – A Liberdade Começa no Corpo” (Drug Dependancy – Freedom Comes From Within), “Fim de Século”, 1996. “Ser Herói para a Heroína” (Being Heroic About Heroin), “Editorial Notícias”, 2001. “Política da Droga: Um Rumo para Portugal” (Drug Policy:A Way Forward for Portugal), “Gradiva”, 2004.

Antonio Maria Costa was appointed in May 2002 Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Director-General of the United Nations Office in Vienna (UNOV). He holds the rank of Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Mr. Costa was born in Italy. He holds a degree in political science from the University of Turin (1963), a Degree in mathematical economics from the Moscow State University (1967), and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California at Berkeley (1971).

From 1969 to 1983, Mr. Costa served as senior economist in the United Nations Department of International Economics and Social Affairs in New York. He was subsequently appointed Under-Secretary-General at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris where he served until 1987. Between 1987 and 1992, Mr. Costa served at the Commission of the European Union as Director-General for Economics and Finance.

Mr. Costa easily speaks a number of languages, including Russian.

Stephan Dahlgren is a Swedish lawyer who has been working for international organisations with human rights, children’s rights, and home affairs issues since 1994. He worked with UNICEF from 1994-2000 in New York, Kathmandu, and Zambia. He was the Head of Child Protection for UNICEF Zambia, where he was planning and implementing the national programme on community based responses to children who had lost their parents due to AIDS. During 2000-2001 Mr. Dahlgren worked with the United Nations Reform Programme (UNDGO), and organised the Princeton UN Global Consultation on Rights Based Programming. From 2001-2009 Mr. Dahlgren has worked for the European Commission external services in Romania and Croatia. He has there been in charge of Home Affairs alignment for European Union candidate countries. From 2009 Mr. Dahlgren has worked as a Legal Researcher at the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency in Vienna.

Elisabeth Dahlin is the Secretary General of Save the Children Sweden (SCS), the largest child rights organization in Sweden with approx 90 000 individual members. Prior to joining SCS she served as Ambassador for the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, for the last 3 years in charge of the Partnership for Global Responsibility, focusing on Business and Human Rights. In the early 2000’s she served as deputy director general of the National Board of Trade and, among other things published reports on the effects of the WTO agreements for developing countries as well as setting up a structure to solve technical obstacles to trade for developing countries. She has served in Swedish Mission to the UN and at the Swedish Embassies in Zambia, Brazil and Vietnam. As a youth leader she served as Secretary General of the National Council of Swedish Youth and was at the same time responsible for Human Rights Training of young Europeans at the Council of Europe.

Arthur T. Dean became the Chairman and CEO of Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) on August 31, 1998.

Before joining CADCA, he spent 31 years in the U.S. Army. He retired on August 31, 1998, at the grade of Major General. During his time in the Army, General Dean served around the world.

General Dean currently serves as a member of the Board of Advisors for U.S. Army Recruiting Command; chairman of the Multijurisdictional Counterdrug Task Force Training (MCTFT) Advisory Committee; member, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Advisory Council; and Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America Board of Directors, for which he serves as Chairman.

General Dean received his undergraduate degree in history from Morgan State University in 1967 and his master’s degree in management and supervision from Central Michigan University in 1977. He is also a graduate of the Stanford University’s Advanced Management Program and the U.S. Army’s War College.

Mr. Abdoulaye DIOUF is a sociologist of formation, manager of the Center of Sensitizing and Information on Drugs Jacques CHIRAC of Thiaroye in Dakar in Senegal.
Mr Diouf is formative trainer on drug abuse prevention in Senegal and a member of West African local experts’ network and founding member of the Sub-Saharan NGO’s coalition against drug abuse. He is also a deputy Board Member of World Federation Against Drugs.

Robert L. DuPont, MD, psychiatrist, has for more than 30 years been a leader in drug abuse prevention and treatment in USA. Among his many contributions he was the first Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and was the second White House Drug Chief. In 1978 Dr. DuPont became the founding president of the Institute for Behaviour and Health, Inc. and in 1982, with his long time colleague, Peter Bensinger, he founded Bensinger, DuPont & Associates.

Dr. DuPont maintains an active psychiatric practice specialising in addiction and anxiety disorders, and has been Clinical Professor at the Georgetown University School of Medicine since 1980.

Among Dr. DuPont’s publication we find titles such as: “Getting Tough on Gateway Drugs: A Guide for the Family”, “A Bridge to Recovery: An Introduction to Twelve-Step Programmes” (Written with John P. McGovern, MD) and “The Selfish Brain: Learning from Addiction”.

David G. Evans, Esq. is the Executive Director of the Drug Free Schools Coalition and is a practicing attorney. The Coalition is an organization of school officials, teachers, counselors, parents, and students dedicated to helping schools to become drug-free.

Mr. Evans has written several books dealing with substance abuse and the law, including books on designing effective drug-free workplace programs and on children, drugs and the law.

Before entering law practice he was a Research Scientist, in the Division of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, in the New Jersey Department of Health where he performed analysis of legal and regulatory requirements regarding: drug and alcohol abuse, research and data collection, courts, criminal justice, domestic violence, drug-free workplaces, juveniles, confidentiality, treatment, drug testing, AIDS, drug use forecasting, and discrimination.

He has taught at: Rutgers University, Kean College and the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Mr Evans is a Special Advisor to the World Federation Against Drugs.

Cecilia Fant, Detective Inspector, works at the National Criminal Intelligence Section. She has been a Police officer since 1988. She started working in uniform in the Stockholm area, then as a surveillance officer at the Swedish Security Service (SÄPO) and surveillance officer at the Narcotic section at the Stockholm Police. After her work with serious narcotic crime at the narcotic section/investigation at the Stockholm Police she was engaged in a Narcotic Project at the National Criminal Police.

The project focused on identifying and arresting suspects who use Internet as a tool for selling narcotics, anabolic steroids, classified pharmaceuticals (according to a UN list) and weapons. The project has also developed a training programme in accordance with basic knowledge about surveillance on the Internet for police officers, customs-officers and prosecutors in Sweden. After having worked on the project for about a year she became the project leader.

The Swedish project cooperates with Interpol in their Internet drug.net project. She has been the Swedish coordinator for DEA “Raw Deal” which was in international cooperation against anabolic steroids sellers.

is the executive director of Drug Free America Foundation, Inc. and Save Our Society From Drugs (S.O.S.). Professor Fay has been an outspoken advocate against the legalization of drugs for over 20 years and is considered a pioneering expert on workplace drug abuse prevention programs. She has authored several books, as well as numerous newsletters and publications. Professor Fay has served as an advisor to the Whitehouse’s Office of National Drug Control Policy as well as several political leaders, including President Bush, on drug policy issues.

Professor Fay holds a masters degree in business administration and is a professor at the Argentina Universidad del Salvador. She has founded, built and sold two successful businesses and was named the 2008 Tampa Bay Area Business Woman of the Year for the non-profit sector by the Tampa Bay Business Journal. In 2008, she received special recognition from then President George W. Bush for her exemplary efforts in drug prevention. She is also the recipient of the 2009 President’s Award from the National Narcotics Officers Associations Coalition.

Carmen Fernández Cáceres holds a Master Degree in Family Therapy and a B.A. in Psychology. Currently she is the Director-General of Centros de Integración Juvenil, A.C. (CIJ).
She is the author of several books, among other: “Women and Drugs, Life Skills”, “Guide for value education, Model of Multidimensional Family Therapy with Gender Perspective”, “Addiction and domestic violence assistance and care”
She is the general coordinator and professor of the Master Degree in Therapy Family in Addictions with the Autonomous University of Tamaulipas (UAT); and the General Coordinator of five Certificates in Addiction and Domestic Violence.
Since 2007, she is the Representative for Latin America in the Board of Directors of the International Council on Alcohol and Addictions (ICAA) and she she is the representative of Mexico in the North American Section of the World Federation against Drugs (WFAD).
In 2009, she was awarded with the Medal “Leadership Anáhuac in Psychology” in acknowledgment to her distinguished professional career.

Gunnar Fjaestad has worked as a prosecutor since 1983 between 1990 – 1996 with economic crimes. From 1997 – 2007 Gunnar Fjaestad was working on the International Prosecution Office where he mainly was occupied with drug offences and international smuggling of cigarettes and alcohol, handling of stolen cars on between countries in Europe.

Gunnar Fjaestad is now working att City Prosecution Office in Stockholm handling amongst other tings drug-and smuggling cases.

Olawale Maiyegun is a Public Policy specialist with expertise in Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Narcotic Drugs and Terrorism, as well as Corruption and Governance-related issues. His academic background includes a PhD in Public Policy and Administration and a Master’s degree in International Law & Diplomacy.

He began his career in the Nigerian Diplomatic Service in 1983, and with vast experience in Bilateral and Multilateral Diplomacy and negotiation of multilateral treaties. He was Director/Head of Section, Organized Crime, Money Laundering, Narcotic Drugs and Terrorism at the Nigerian Foreign Ministry before joining the African Union Commission in October 2009 as Director of Social Affairs Department with a portfolio that includes Drug Control and Crime Prevention.

He has close collaboration with civil society organizations on a variety of issues ranging from drug use, HIV/AIDS among injecting drug users, to support for victims of human trafficking, especially women and children and victims of crime in general, as well as maternal, newborn and child health.

Gabriella Gobbi, MD, PhD, Dept. Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada Dr. Gabriella Gobbi is a researcher at the neuroscience axis of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre and also a psychiatrist and associate professor at the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University.

In its preclinical research, Dr Gobbi’s laboratory has targeted the neurobiological mechanisms at the root of the influence of cannabis on depression and anxiety in adolescents. Teenagers who are exposed to cannabis have decreased levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin, which leads to mood disorders and anhedonia or lack of pleasure, as well as increased norepinephrine levels, which leads to greater long-term susceptibility to stress and anxiety. Even if cannabis use was stopped at the end of adolescence, changes were still detectable in adulthood.

These studies suggest that society should be warned about the use of cannabis in young people

Kathy Gyngell is a drugs policy analyst and research fellow at the Centre for Policy Studies where she chairs the Prisons and Addictions Policy Forum.

Her critique of the UK’s drugs policy, The Phoney War on Drugs, published last year was widely covered by the UK press. She has written for The Daily Telegraph, the Guardian, The Yorkshire Post, the Evening Standard, Drink and Drug News and Addiction Today on the failure of policy; she is widely quoted in the press and interviewed for the media; and is a regular conference speaker and debater.

She chaired, researched and authored the two major reports on ‘Addictions’ published in Breakdown Britain, in December 2006 and Breakthrough Britain, in July 2007, for the Conservative Party’s Social Justice Policy Review, reports noted for their scathing critique of the cost and efficacy of the UK’s national methadone programme and to which the Conservative’s plans to overhaul treatment policy are attributed.

She blogs regularly on all aspects of drug research, problems and policy on the Centre for Policy Studies website http://www.cps.org.uk/.

Angela Hawken, PhD is Associate Professor of Economics and Policy Analysis at the School of Public Policy at Pepperdine University. She taught graduate economics in South Africa before moving to Los Angeles in 1998 to complete a PhD in policy analysis at the RAND Graduate School. She teaches graduate classes in applied research methods, statistics, crime, and social policy. Hawken led the state wide cost-benefit analysis of California’s alternative sentencing initiative, Proposition 36, and the randomized controlled trial of Hawaii’s HOPE Probation. Hawken consults regularly for the United Nations and the State Department. She has developed measurement instruments to study corruption and gender issues in the Asia-Pacific region, for the UN regional office, and her work is featured regularly in the UN Human Development Reports. She is the co-author of the Afghanistan corruption-monitoring system and is working on counter narcotics policy for Afghanistan, for the State Department.

Eduardo Hernández-Alarcón, Ph.D. is the Deputy Director for Dissemination and Coalition Relations for the National Community Anti-Drug Coalition Institute, and Vice President of International Programs at Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America. He has been a substance abuse prevention leader at the local, state, and national level for almost two decades. Dr. Hernández was one of the co-founders and Chair of the California Prevention Collaborative, a coalition of all of the state wide substance abuse prevention organizations in that state.

In 2001, Dr. Hernández-Alarcón received an appointment as a Special Expert at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and relocated to the Washington D.C. area.

Beyond his duties as a Deputy Director for the National Coalition Institute, Dr. Hernández-Alarcón is also leading CADCA’s international work, geared to help communities build coalitions through training and technical assistance. Currently CADCA is providing training and technical assistance to Non-Governmental Organizations in Peru, El Salvador, Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and Brazil.

Kristina Hillgren is a clinical psychologist in Stockholm, Sweden, with nearly four decades of experience. In addition to clinical work with individuals and groups she has established innovative staff training programs.

Since the 1980’s Kristina Hillgren has generated international exchange of ideas by inviting guest lecturers from different fields to the Karolinska Hospital and other clinical drug treatment and psychiatric facilities. This has resulted in significant dialogue between leading practitioners in Europe, the USA and Cuba, as reflected in treatment and research efforts in many places.

Kristina Hillgren initiated and conducted Sweden’s first baseline study on blood-borne infections among injecting drug users in Stockholm. The research draws on her efforts to photo document the drug injection process. She began this work troubled by the high percentage of HCV infected patients and intrigued by the patients’ theories on how they had gotten infected by hepatitis and/or HIV.

Karin Jordås has been the Secretary General of Mentor Sweden, a National charity focusing on the drug abuse prevention and positive youth development, since Spring 2008. Ms. Jordås has worked with and for young people throughout her professional life. Her passion has been to fight for the rights of children and to create positive development opportunities for children and young people as they develop towards adulthood. Prior to becoming Secretary General for Mentor Sweden, Ms. Jordås was Headmaster in Haninge, a municipality in the outskirts of Stockholm known for its high immigrant population, and before that as Deputy Headmaster in Liljeholmen.

Ms. Jordås is a member of the Kompus board.

Rogers Kasirye, Executive Director, Uganda Youth Development Link, board member WFAD. BA in Social work and Social administration and an MA in Human Rights from Makerere University, Kampala. Mr. Kasirye has undertaken several consultancy positions as a technical Coordinator, he is also a consultant with Mentor foundation UK. He is the local expert advisor to UNODC in Eastern Africa and is actively involved in capacity building of NGOs and Communities in Drug Demand reduction activities. He is a lead person on Vienna NGO committee on drug abuse.

Mr. Kasirye is currently involved in two NIDA supported research tasks on adapting materials on substance abuse and street children. He is a researcher on the global study on gender and alcohol studies coordinated by WHO. Mr. Kasirye was awarded the 1999, United Nation Civil Society Award winner, offered by UNODC and The Federal Republic of Austria and The City of Vienna and the Africa Region Youth Services award 1999, by the Commonwealth youth programme, African centre. He also authored several books and papers on drug abuse, social protection, and commercial sexual exploitation.

R. Gil Kerlikowske On May 7, 2009, R. Gil Kerlikowske was sworn in as the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. As the US “Drug Czar,” Mr. Kerlikowske coordinates all aspects of Federal drug control programs and implementation of the President’s National Drug Control Strategy.

Mr. Kerlikowske brings nearly four decades of law enforcement and drug policy experience to the position, most recently serving 9 years as the Chief of Police for the Seattle Police Department. When he left, crime in Seattle was at its lowest point in 40 years. In his previous positions Mr. Kerlikowske strongly supported community oriented policing services, which promote partnerships and problem-solving techniques to address conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, drugs, and social disorder.

In addition to his broad background in Federal, State, and local law enforcement, Mr. Kerlikowske served as chair of the board of directors of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, a national organization focused on how to prevent youth from becoming criminals.

r. Kerlikowske holds a B.A. and M.A. in criminal justice from the University of South Florida in Tampa.

Jennifer Kimani, MBS, is National Coordinator for the National Campaign Against Drug Abuse Authority in Kenya.

Mrs. Kimani is a trained Educator and Social Demographer well grounded in training, research, planning and policy development. She has worked as the CEO, NACADA Authority for four years. Previously, she worked with several Government Ministries and NGOs in the area of Reproductive Health, education, research, monitoring and evaluation. In addition, she sits in educational Boards of two public schools and committees within the public sector.

Mrs. Kimani has coordinated several surveys on the magnitude of alcohol and drug abuse across the country and spearheaded the development of various Policies/Bills including the National Strategy, National Alcohol Policy and the ongoing Narcotic Drug and Substance Abuse Control Policy. Further, she has participated in drafting and pushing for the Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill, 2009 that has gone through reading and is likely to pass into law in April 2010.

Maria Larsson, Minister for Elderly Care and Public Health of Sweden. She was appointed Minister representing the Swedish Christian Democrats after the election in 2006 and her areas of responsibility includes Public health and social services. 1998 she was first elected to the Swedish Parliament and has been member of the Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs and the Parliament Committee on Industry and Trade. Since 2003 she is also First Deputy Chair on the Swedish Christian Democrats.

Maria Larsson has a Primary School Teacher degree from the Växjö Institute of Education.

Monica Luppi is a member of the International Relations team at San Patrignano (Italy), the world’s largest residential centre for drug addicted and socially excluded young people. Since 2005, Monica has represented the Foundation at many international events and conferences as well as on missions in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Since 2006 she is member of Vienna NGO committee, as well as being a representative of the Regional Lead Organizations for Western Europe for “Beyond 2008” a project which aims to highlight NGO achievement and interaction with the United Nations. Since 2006 Ms. Luppi has also been project manager for “Good Goods” which aims to unite those social enterprises that use high quality professional skills training and alternative livelihoods to fight crime and drugs and their root causes, poverty and lack of opportunity, in the world.

Bertha Madras, PhD, Professor of Psychobiology, Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School (faculty since 1986), and Associate Director for Public Education in the Division on Addictions. She served as Deputy Director, Demand Reduction in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), following unanimous Senate confirmation (2006-2008). She advocated for a public health approach to prevent, intervene and treat illicit and prescription drug abuse. As a neuroscientist, Dr. Madras investigated brain responses to addictive drugs and developed new brain imaging agents and therapeutics for neuropsychiatric disorders. Author of over 130 scientific manuscripts, she co-edited a book “The Cell Biology of Addiction”. She received an NIH MERIT award, NIDA Public Service Award, American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry Founders Award, and 19 patents with collaborators. Dr. Madras directed the creation of a NIDA-sponsored Museum exhibit, a CD (licensed by the Disney Corp. in 2006) and a play at the Museum of Science, Boston titled “Changing your Mind: Drugs in the Brain”. Dr Madras has served on numerous government committees and other advisory boards.

Jorge Mc Douall, Medical Doctor and Psychiatrist from Universidad Javeriana of Bogotá, Colombia, Master in Health Science of John Hopkins University School of Public Health, Fellow in Drug Prevention and Treatment of Johns Hopkins School of Public Health – Department of Mental Health.

Dr Mc Douall has 16 years of experience working in the drug field specifically developing policy, planning and preventive projects. In the prevention field he has been in charge of conducting prevention project for the city of Bogotá and other regions of the country and also developing prevention project for children and adolescents. Currently he is the Executive Director of Mentor Colombia an international-based NGO which has developed preventive initiatives with more than 150.000 children and adolescents in Colombia. He has also been working as a consultant in this topic for the Organization of American States (OAS), UNODC and the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) in South America.

Linda Nilsson works since 2008 as project coordination at the Swedish National Association for a Drug Free Society, RNS, responsible for international projects and drug prevention in schools. She was recently the project leader for a study about legal drugs on Internet.

Ms. Nilsson has a master degree form Växjö University (2007), Sweden, and worked as a volunteer in Artemovsk, eastern Ukraine 2007-2008.

Craig M. Nakken, MSW, LICSW (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker), LMFT (Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist), is author of The Addictive Personality, Understanding The Addictive Process and Compulsive Behaviour (over 500.000 in print and translated into nine languages) and most recently Reclaim Your Family from Addiction: How Couples and Families Recover Love and Meaning. Also co-authored, with his wife Jane, two meditations book that have sold over 500,000 copies. He is an international lecturer (Russia, Sweden, Demark, Panama, Australia, Norway, China, Singapore, Iceland) and teaches at Rutgers School Alcohol Studies. He is a family therapist specializing in the treatment of addiction/s. He has over thirty years of experience in the areas of family, addiction and recovery. Craig Nakken has a private practice in St Paul, Minnesota, USA.

Jane M. Nakken, MD, is a consultant and trainer with thirty years experience as a leader, educator, author, innovator and change agent in the field of addictions treatment. As a former executive vice president of the world-renowned Hazelden Foundation, she earned an international reputation for her leadership in the addictions treatment field, particularly in the treatment of young adults and women, and for her national leadership on public policy issues. Notably, she designed and championed Hazelden’s Women Healing Conference Series and the Women & Children’s Recovery Community, and received ADPA’s Award for Service to Women in 2000.

Dr. Nakken has 17 published books and articles, and serves on the faculties of Rutgers University’s Institute on Addiction Studies and Hazelden’s Graduate Program in Addiction Counseling. She holds a BA degree in child and adolescent psychology from the University of Minnesota, her MA in human and health services administration, from St. Mary’s College, and a doctorate in organization change from Pepperdine University.

Detective Inspector, Swedish National Criminal Intelligence Service. Mr Nilvall started as a interrogator at the unit for serious crimes in Gothenburg, 1995 and worked as a investigator between 1995 to 2002. In 2002 be became a project manager within NCIS Sweden and lead the projects XTC – Trafficking of XTC towards Sweden and Nicks – Internet related drug trafficking. Currently Mr Nilvall works as a target Officer at NCIS Sweden.

Mr Nilvall cooperates with Interpol in the project drugs.net. He is also the Project manager counterpart in development co-operation project between The Swedish National Police Board and Ministry of Interior Republic of Serbia.

Mr Nilvall has also published a number of reports, for example “Crimes Menaces to judicial system, Internet – a new crime scene”, 2006.

Sten Nordin, Mayor, was born in Nyköping, south of Stockholm. He studied Economics and Sociology at the Uppsala University, and has held a number of public functions since the early 1980’s. Between 2006 and 2008 he represented the Moderate Party in the Swedish Parliament. Mr. Nordin is a true veteran in municipal politics. He lives in downtown Stockholm with his wife and two children.

Isidore Obot is Professor and Head of Department of Psychology, University of Uyo, and Director for African Centre for Research and Information on Substance Abuse (CRISA), Uyo, Nigeria. Before this, he was tenured Professor and Chairperson, Department of Behavioural Health Sciences, Morgan State University School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. Between 2002 and 2006 he held the position of scientist in the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse at the World Health Organization, Geneva.

Professor Obot received his doctorate in social psychology from Howard University in Washington, DC, in 1983 and a Master of Public Health degree from the Harvard University School of Public Health, Boston, in 1984. He began his academic career at the University of Jos in 1985 and has published widely on alcohol and drugs in Africa. He is the founding Editor-in-Chief of the African Journal of Drug and Alcohol Studies; assistant editor of Addiction; a member of the editorial boards of several addiction, psychology and public health journals; and a convener of the biennial conference on “Alcohol, Drugs and Society in Africa”.

Professor Solomon Tshimong Rataemane is the head of Department of Psychiatry at the University of Limpopo (Medunsa Campus in Pretoria). He has special interest in child psychiatry, mood disorders and addiction medicine. He has served as deputy chairperson and chairperson of the Central Drug Authority of South Africa from 1995 to 2005. He is currently involved with UCLA Substance Abuse Program in collaborative research to improve Cognitive Behavior Therapy for counselors at SANCA Clinics in South Africa. He is a Board member of International Council on Alcohol and Addictions and serves on the Health Committee of the Health Professions of South Africa assisting in physicians’ health management. He has served as the Interim Executive Dean and Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Health Sciences Faculty of the University of Limpopo. The current engagements include an effort to develop policy and protocols for management of substance abuse. He was appointed Deputy Chair of the Medical Research Council of South Africa for the triennium 2007 – 2010, and also serves third term as member of the Colleges of Psychiatry (2 terms as senator and current three year term as ordinary member of college o Psychiatry).

Former Police detective and founder/managing director of drug education group Methcon. Mike is a nationally and internationally-recognised expert and authority on methamphetamine and drug policy. Mike is a foundation member of the Fulbright New Zealand Alumni Association and deputy Board Member, Oceania Region, World Federation Against Drugs. He is affiliated with leading global policy experts and authorities on demand and supply-side reduction initiatives and actively involved with international drug policy as a member of the International Task Force for Strategic Drug Policy and a fellow and associate of numerous international drug free coalitions. He is the author of publications on the efficacy of harm prevention, demand reduction focused drug policy initiatives, including solutions to the methamphetamine crisis in New Zealand.

Mike is a respected commentator and expert lecturer on methamphetamine, drug abuse, drug policy strategy nationally and internally including the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs. He is the recipient of numerous leadership, community and business awards.

Mina Seinfeld de Carakushansky, President of BRAHA, Brazilian Humanitarians in Action, and an Honorary Professor of the University of Salvador of Buenos Aires, Argentina as well as the International Coordinator of the Program Forging Leadership for Drug Demand Reduction in Latin America. She is the former Head of the Drug Prevention Bureau of the City of Rio de Janeiro and former Head of the Special Secretariat for the Prevention of Chemical Dependence of Rio de Janeiro.

Professor Seinfeld de Carakushansky holds Masters Degrees in Mathematics and was an Associate Professor of Mathematics at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro for 25 years. She has developed numerous drug prevention programs and has authored texts and articles about Drug Prevention, Legalization, and Preventive Cities. She has received numerous awards; among them the highest Rio de Janeiro State Military Police Award (Comendadora) and the Euzebio da Costa Medal of the Municipal Guard of Rio de Janeiro. Professor Mina Seinfeld de Carakushansky is a member of the Board of Directors of Drug Watch International and Special Advisor to the International Task Force on Strategic Drug Policy and board member of World Federation Against Drugs.

Manuel Moreira de Sampaio Pimentel Leitão, has a degree in Law and a post-graduation in juridical and managing sciences.

From 2003 to 2005 he was Vice-President of CCDR – Norte (The North Regional Coordination and Development Commission).

He was elected in 2005 as City Councillor/Member of the City Government and was responsible for the portfolio of Economic Activities and Civil Protection. He was re-elected in 2009 and is, since then, the City Councillor / Member of the City Government responsible for Civil Protection, Internal Control and Inspection. He is now in charge for the Municipal Department of Inspection; the Municipal Police; the Fire Brigade; Vice-President of the Executive Board of the municipal company “Águas do Porto”; Member of the General Assembly of the Centre for Information on Consume and Arbitration of Porto and Executive Manager of the “Mercado Abastecedor do Porto” (Porto’s Wholesale Market).

Roxana Stere is a Romanian doctor student in international relations at the SNSPA University in Bucharest, after having earlier obtained a Masters degree in political PR at the same institution. She has been working with production of TV programmes for children in Fast Productions SRL in Bucharest.

David Turner began in 1968 working with homeless alcoholics and drug dependents. From 1970 he worked in a centre for homeless young people, mainly drug dependents, in central London, becoming Director in 1973. From 1975 – 1994 Mr. Turner was Director of the UK national co-ordinating agency for drug services, a member of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs as well as a member of the Parole Board of England and Wales and the General Advisory Council of the BBC. In 1994 he joined UNDCP (now UNODC) moving to ICAA in 1995. In 1998 moved to CeIS Roma. Consultant to the Italian National Drugs Observatory, responsible for preparation of the statistical returns and national report of Italy to the EMCDDA from 1998 – 2005. Chair of the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs. Has been an consultant for UNESCO, UNODC, WHO, ILO, European Commission, a plenary speaker and trainer at conferences and seminars in over 70 countries, consultant to the BBC and independent broadcasters in the UK and has written and broadcast extensively on drug-related issues.

Raymond Yans graduated in Germanic philology and in philosophy, 1972 in Belgium. He was the head of the Drug Unit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1995-1999 and 2003-2007); charged with the national coordination of the ratification and implementation process of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 and the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 (1995-1998); He participated in the launching of the European Union Joint Action on New Synthetic Drugs of an early warning system to alert Governments to the appearance of new synthetic drugs.

Mr. Yans is author of numerous articles, including: “The future of the Dublin Group” (2004) and “Is there anything such as a European Union Common Drug Policy” (2005). Between 1995-2007 he was a member of the Belgian delegation to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs.

Mr. Yans has participated on a number of international conferences and work-shops. Since 2007 he is a member of the International Narcotics Control Board.

Juan Alberto Yaría, Doctor of Psychology 1972 – University of Belgrano – Argentina.

Master in Drug Addiction, University of Deusto, Spain. Graduate Degree for teachers.

Dr. Yaria is the Director of the Institute for the Prevention of Drug Addiction – Universidad del Salvador and the Director since 1973 in Gradiva TC. He was the Secretary of Prevention and Care of Addictions Government of the Province of Buenos Aires – 1993/2000. Dr. Yaria has published a number of books about psychology and addiction, among others “Drug Addiction Breviary” (2009) and “Drugs, School, Family and Prevention” (2005). He is also a frequently invited expert and has participated as speaker in numerous national and international conferences on the complexity of the issue of addiction.