Stimulant Use Webinar Series. Part II: Risky Behaviour and Chem Sex Associated with Stimulant Use

ISSUP Indonesia, ISSUP Malaysia, and ISSUP Philippines, in collaboration with ITTC, welcome you to a joint initiative dedicated to the use of Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) in the Asian region.

Time: 1:00 PM MYT | 9:00 PM PST | 5:00 AM GMT

Register for the Webinar

Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) are widely used across the Asia-Pacific region, with an annual prevalence of use in 2011 ranging from 0.2% to 1.4% of the Asian population aged 15–64 years [1]. Nearly 10 million users reside in East and South-East Asia, owing to the relatively larger population of this subregion [3]. The Philippines (2.1%), Thailand (1.4%), and Lao PDR (1.4%) are the countries with a higher prevalence of ATS use in the region [1]. In the period 2016–2020, the largest numbers of ATS seizures occurred in East and South-East Asia, along with North America [3].

Many Asian countries report a significant shift from heroin and other opioids to methamphetamine. This is supported by the seizure of a total of 171.5 tons of methamphetamine in the region, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in 2021, and a continued decline in the overall price of methamphetamine, making it more affordable [2].

The ISSUP National Chapters Webinar Series aims to highlight ATS use as an emerging issue in Asian countries. We have invited experts and experienced professionals working in the field to provide updates on the harms of ATS use, address their mechanisms of action, modes of use, intended intoxicant effects, associated physical and mental health issues, the role of ATS in risky behaviours, transmission of HIV and Hepatitis B and C, and recommendations on their management and prevention-related responses.

Moderator: Dr. Dylan Kristophe Williams

Presentations

Dr. David Grelotti

"Risky Behaviour and Chem Sex Associated with Stimulant Use"

International Speaker: Dr. David Grelotti

David Grelotti, MD is an adult and child psychiatrist and directs mental health services at UC San Diego Health's Owen Clinic, a multispecialty care clinic focused on the treatment and prevention of HIV and related illnesses.

Dr. Grelotti provides care for mental health, substance use, and related disorders to children, adolescents, and adults with HIV and at risk for HIV.

In addition to clinical care, Dr. Grelotti works to eliminate the mental health treatment gap through a variety of international collaborations. He leverages his expertise to promote mental health globally as the co-director of the International Addiction Technology Transfer Center in Ukraine, a member of the University of California GloCal Steering Committee and as a member of the executive committee of the Center for Global Mental Health Initiative at UC San Diego.

Ashwin Thind

"Opportunities for moderation in the management of problematic chemsex"

Speaker from Malaysia: Ashwin Thind

Clinical Director at PENGASIH
Ashwin is a Clinical Psychologist with a particular interest in substance and alcohol use disorders, behavioral addictions and trauma. He has a keen interest in working with individuals from the chemsex community who struggle with managing the fusion between substance use and compulsive sexual behaviors.

Ashwin practices a trauma-enhanced approach in therapy. He is a trained EMDR clinician registered with the EMDR Association of Australia.
He is an advocate for evidence based drug policies that includes harm reduction, decriminalization and regulation of substances.

This webinar is hosted by ISSUP Malaysia and is part of a Series on Stimulant Use. Please find below the links to the other two Webinars taking place:

23rd January 2024 - Stimulant Use Webinar Series. Part I: About Amphetamine Type Stimulants and Stimulant Use Disorder. Learn More >>>
20th February 2024 - Stimulant Use Webinar Series. Part III: Examples of Stimulant Use Treatment Programmes. Learn More>>>

Reference:

Dargan PI, Wood DM. Recreational drug use in the Asia Pacific region: improvement in our understanding of the problem through the UNODC programmes. J Med Toxicol. 2012 Sep;8(3):295-9. doi: 10.1007/s13181-012-0240-4. PMID: 22569822; PMCID: PMC3550160.
Regional Overview: Asia (2022). https://hri.global/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GSHR-2022_Asia.pdf
Word Drug Report 2022. Booklet 4 - Drug market trends of Cocaine, Amphetamine-type stimulants and New Psychoactive Substances (2022). https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/wdr-2022_booklet-4.html

Webinars and online events delivered and hosted by the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) are provided for informational purposes only. They are educational in nature and do not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.