Side Events

2 DAYS | ISSUP

The meeting for and about ISSUP National Chapters will be for representatives of all established National Chapters. The meeting will provide National Chapters with an opportunity to network and learn from the work and experience of other National Chapters around the world. Participants will be able to exchange experiences and knowledge and explore ways to collaborate and plan joint initiatives with other National Chapters and partner organisations.

2 HOURS | Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) of the Organization of American States (OAS)

In 2021, in response to the burden of disease attributable to substance use in Latin America, the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) partnered with Latin American ISSUP Chapters to guide and monitor preventive initiatives in the region. Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), the CICAD conducted an investigation in five countries (i.e., Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru) to (Aim 1) identify country-specific factors that may influence the selection, implementation, and evaluation of preventive interventions; and (Aim 2) assess the feasibility and potential efficacy of each selected intervention within each country. For Aim 1 (i.e., “macro-level” evaluation), the CICAD conducted three different semi-structured qualitative interviews with ISSUP Chapter directors. For Aim 2 (i.e., “micro-level” evaluation), ISSUP Chapters in each country led a process and summative evaluations of their selected interventions. Our findings inform and encourage other ISSUP Chapters, stakeholders, and researchers to improve the selection, implementation, and evaluation of interventions for preventing substance use.

2 DAYS | Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Programme (DAP)

Substance Use Disorders (SUD) in children is a growing global public health problem on multiple levels and the earlier the exposure to drugs, dramatically increases the risk of lifelong addition as it interferes with the ongoing neurodevelopment to induce neurobiological changes that augment dependency risk later in life. The proposed two-day meeting is for invitees only and will convene global participants engaged in addressing child substance use disorders (SUDs) from the wider global region to review the implementation of the CHILD Curriculum and the emerging issues in its responsiveness to the needs of children

5 DAYS | Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA)

CADCA will bring together coalition leaders from throughout the Eastern Hemisphere to provide several coalition specific stand-alone workshops/training sessions that are and not part of a standard curriculum. Topics will include:

• Youth Engagement
• Policy and Advocacy
• Scaling up Coalition Impact by Forming National Coalition Networks
• Coalition Engagement through the Strategic Prevention Framework
• Health and Vitality of Coalition Membership

5 DAYS | Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Programme (DAP)

GoFORTH is a gathering of youth from all over the world to be trained in substance use prevention.  The primary objective of the forum is to build and maintain a Youth Network in substance use prevention. Young people are provided knowledge of substance use, its effects on young people and the science behind it, and the skills to develop youth-led initiatives in partnership with governments and civil societies.  GOFORTH promotes information sharing, innovative ways and identify strategies that will empower youth leadership in substance use prevention.

Training Goals:

1. Provide knowledge of substance use prevention and the science of prevention
2. Teach skills to develop youth-led prevention initiatives
3. Develop prevention action plans

4 DAYS

GCCC, the credentialing arm of Drug Advisory Programme (DAP) of the Colombo Plan Secretariat (CPS) will hold its Ninth GCCC Commission Meeting from 12-15 May. There will also be break-out sessions for the GCCC Examination and Credentialing, Training and Ethics Committees to meet.

This initiative is organized by DAP with funding from the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcements Affairs (INL), US Department of State. 

3 DAYS | U.S. Department of State/Bureau of International Narcotics and law Enforcement Affairs (DOS/INL)

This workshop is for Embassy and Washington, D.C. staff who cover drug demand reduction (DDR) in their portfolios.  Participants of previous years’ workshops included:

• INL Embassy Directors
• INL and Political Section Foreign Service Officers
• Embassy Locally Employed Staff
• Washington DC Program Officers
• Interagency partners from Washington DC and other Embassy staff interested in this area of work

The workshop agenda will feature:

• Expert presentations on Introduction of U.S. Demand Reduction Activities
• INL Country Presentations

2 DAYS | Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Programme (DAP)

3 DAYS | National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC)

This event is presented in association with the 3rd International Forensic Drug Testing Lab Directors Symposium and consists of a 3-day seminar/workshop series organized by the NRC laboratory team for event delegates and others to attend.

Seminars and Workshops:

Day 1 – “Drug Early Warning Systems and International Organizations”

Day 2 – “Drug Trends and NPS”

Day 3 – “Toxicology and Clinical Updates”

3 DAYS | US/INL, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, including the Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Section (PTRS) and the UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia (ROCA), Government representatives of the five countries in the region, international organizations and NGOs such as WHO, ISSUP, ICUDDR/ITTC and CADCA working in the region

The Central Asian stakeholders meeting with relevant national level representatives from the region will give each country the opportunity to report on their progress and efforts with the implementation of drug demand reduction activities over the last years. The meeting aims at promoting the dialogue between countries from the region and with broader networks. Relevant international organizations and NGOs, working in the region, will be able to interact and share their work and available tools with stakeholders from Central Asia. Future opportunities for collaboration on prevention and treatment of drug use disorders in the region will be discussed.

Training Goals: To strengthen the collaboration and exchange among countries in the region and between national counterparts, international organizations, and relevant NGOs in Central Asia.

Invitation only symposium for Lab Directors from over 25 drug producing and transit countries to identify the new, emerging drug/adulterant combinations globally that contribute to overdose, near-, and long-term chronic health problems. Prior symposia established a global early warning/alert system for new drug combinations, in addition to global public health alerts that assist in the identification and response to such outbreaks.

5 DAYS | African Union Commission (AUC)

2 HOURS | U.S. Department of State/Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (DOS/ECA)

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Humphrey Fellowship Program proposes to host a panel discussion on the margins of the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) event in Abu Dhabi May 11- 16, 2022.  Select alumni of the Humphrey Fellowship Program who will already be participating in the event and fully funded by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) will be invited to speak about their current work and expertise in the critical field of substance abuse education, treatment, and prevention around the world.  The panel will demonstrate how the Humphrey Fellowship Program supports a global network of experts in this field and advances policy through global collaboration and sharing of best practices.  (Note: specific topics can be determined based on participants' professional expertise and tailored to complement existing programming offerings.)

The audience will consist of other Humphrey Fellowship Program alumni, as well as potential applicants for the program who are currently subject matter experts overseas but should also be open to other conference attendees.  This session will be moderated either by subject matter expert Dr. Randy Koch from Virginia Commonwealth University or an ECA representative.  Alumni speakers will be selected by ECA once conference participants are identified, and they will represent a diversity of world regions, genders, and perspectives on this critical field.  ISSUP has indicated that space can be made available for this event at the conference venue.  Additional events may be arranged as needed, in consultation with ECA, ISSUP, and INL.