Media and Press - ALICE RAP

Towards an Addiction Health Footprint

16th February 2016

International addiction experts from multiple sectors gather at the A-Debate in Barcelona to present and debate evidence to underpin global/national and local drugs policies for public health. At the centre of the debate will be the ALICE RAP project’s call for an Addiction Health Footprint to quantify the negative impact that the actions of different producers and regulators of addictive substances have on populations’ health.

International addiction experts from multiple sectors gather this week in Barcelona to present and debate evidence to underpin global/national and local drugs policies for public health. At the centre of the debate will be the ALICE RAP project’s call for a Health Footprint to quantify the negative impact that the actions of different producers and regulators of addictive substances have on populations’ health.

Cannabis - From Prohibition to Regulation

Drawing on global and European experience in regulating tobacco and alcohol, the 5th ALICE RAP Policy Paper makes the case for why current prohibitionist approaches need to be changed and how legal regulatory cannabis policies can be crafted that protect public health, wealth and well‐being.

Alcohol - The Neglected Addiction

During 2012 the communication activities for ALICE RAP were focussed around the theme ‘Alcohol – The neglected addiction’. The rationale for choosing this theme was that it is a topical issue in light of the forthcoming revision of the EU alcohol strategy and the need for stronger inclusion in discussions around NCDs. A policy paper was developed through an iteractive consensus procedure. The policy brief was launched at the ALICE RAP 2nd General Partners' Meeting in Newcastle, with a press release circulated among the ALICE RAP partners and sent out to journalists.

Launching the Project

Between May 2011 and February 2012, the ALICE RAP partners present ALICE RAP through press conferences and at academic and policy events in their countries. There was a reasonable response to this initiative, with the project being launched in several partners’ countries: Spain, United Kingdom Slovenia, Poland, Italy and Norway.