Speakers and participants at the 2018 NIDA International Forum included (left photo, left to right) Steven Gust, NIDA; Thomas Babor, University of Connecticut; Olena Leonchuk, North Carolina State University; and J. Randy Koch, Virginia Commonwealth University; (top right photo, left to right, Martin Agwogie, Nigeria; Anthony Koliha, U.S. Department of State; and Rabia Hanif, Pakistan; (bottom right photo) Linda Cottler, University of Florida; (center photo, left to right) Igor Koutsenok, University of California San Diego; and Elizabeth Sáenz, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.More than 225 participants from 46 nations attended the 23rd Annual National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) International Forum, held June 8–11, 2018, in San Diego, California. International Program Director Steven W. Gust, Ph.D., chaired the meeting. A joint NIDA International Forum/College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD) poster session featured presentations on international research conducted by 131 scientists from the United States and 34 other countries. Plenary sessions addressed the partnership between NIDA and CPDD, estimating the harms and the economic burden of substance use in Canada, adulteration of drugs with toxic cutting agents, opioid overdose prevention, kratom use, international Addiction Technology Transfer Centers, and the International Consortium of Universities for Drug Demand Reduction. Breakout sessions focused on evidence-based demand reduction, animal-assisted interventions for addiction treatment and prevention, preparing international research for publication, and the impact of the Hubert H. Humphrey Drug Abuse Research Fellowships on global drug research networks and fellows’ career development.
More details about the 2018 NIDA International Forum are available online: