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    • 1st International Symposium on Drug Policy and Public Health

    The 1st International Symposium on Drug Policy and Public Health was held in Istanbul on September 29 – October 1, 2014, with the participation of expert scientists from Turkiye and around the world.

    During the International Symposium on Drug Policy and Public Health, different aspects of the issue of drug use were discussed with a view to supporting the development of scientific and evidence-based public health policies for the prevention of drug use. The symposium was organized to host discussions of the different approaches and implementations around the world, to support the exchange of information and experiences of institutions and organizations engaged in studies in this field, to increase the capacity of organizations involved in the prevention of drug use, and to develop alternative approaches to the long-term resolution of drug-related problems.

    The following topics were on the agenda of the 1st International Symposium on Drug Policy and Public Health:

    • Public health approaches in drug policies
    • Drug prevention strategies
    • Early intervention and treatment
    • Advocacy and capacity building
    • Achievements and challenges in national policies
    • Media-awareness campaigns

    The International Symposium on Drug Policy and Public Health was held with the contributions of:

    • 50 countries
    • 100 speakers
    • over 2 days
    • 6 main sessions
    • 2000 participants.

    The symposium, with the theme “Common Mind Against Drug Abuse”, brought together over 20 organizations involved in the resolution of drug problems at national and international levels, including the World Health Organization, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), the Council of Europe’s Pompidou Group, and 100 speakers from 50 countries who are experts in their respective fields.

    During the symposium, experts in their fields from Afghanistan, Australia, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Poland and Greece shared their experiences in drug treatment and rehabilitation processes, as well as the currently-applied best practices.

    Supporting Organizations
    The supporting institutions and organizations included the following;

    • World Health Organization (WHO)
    • United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
    • The Council of Europe Pompidou Group
    • The Council of Europe
    • European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)
    • Turkish Ministry of Health
    • Turkish Ministry of Education
    • Turkish Ministry of Youth and Sports
    • Turkish Ministry of Family and Social Policies
    • The Turkish Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (TUBİM).