Welcome to this Special Issue of EuroScientist on: Addiction!
In this issue, EuroScientist is venturing into exploring policy issues, which have implications for individuals in society. Specifically, this special issue focuses on the interplay between science and policy making when dealing with substance addiction.
We all can identify with addictive behaviour. Some of our readers may be regular smokers or simply have an addiction to chocolate or to technologies such as the internet. In this issue, we specifically focus the debate around addiction by covering the science behind policy used to tackle addiction to tobacco, drugs and to alcohol.
We reproduce opinion pieces that have initially been published in much more extensive versions, following a series of independent international consultation events, organised by Brussels-based policy communication consultancy SciCom– Making Sense of Science, in areas related to the theme of substance addiction, discussing evidence-based policy versus policy-biased evidence to help assess the best practices and pitfalls inherent today, especially in institutional science. The original contributions are available via a hyperlink at the end of each article.
This issue is designed to give you food for thought on how scientific evidence may sometimes we used for best results in policy making, while demonstrating how, in other cases, such approach needs to be complemented by testing in the field before the best suitable approach can be adopted.
We are keen to receive your feedback on this special issue.
So don’t forget to comment on each individual article and to share them widely within your circle.
Best wishes,
EuroScientist Team
Download a free PDF version of the article and spread it!Ethics
The ethics of intervening in addicts' lives
By Julian Kinderlerer, Cape Town University, South Africa.
People-centric approach
Nudge towards effective harm reduction
By Alberto Alemanno, HEC Paris, France.
Drugs: time to fight for health
By Michel Kazatchkine, UN Secretary General for HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Policy solutions to various forms of addiction
Do drug programs really work?
By Françoise Dubois-Arber, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland.
Juggling with drinking patterns, culture and policy responses
By Marjana Martinic, International Center for Alcohol Policies, Washington, USA.
Anti-smoking:'E' is for ethics
By Deborah Arnott, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), UK.
Do you believe that substance addiction can be dealt with by policies?
Your thoughts and opinions are valuable, feel free to use our simple comment section below.
Featured image credit: CC BY 2.0 by rick
EuroScientist is looking for contributors!
If you would like to write guest posts in EuroScientist magazine, send us your suggestions of articles at office@euroscientist.com.
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