Prevention and treatment of drug abuse are common problems faced by most countries in Asia and nearly all other societies in the world. The multifaceted problems required multiple approaches. Government agencies, non-governmental organizations, practitioners and academic scholars across the region have developed many social and psychological programs to combat drug abuse. Criminal justice agencies have also played an important role in preventing and controlling drug use and abuse. Despite these efforts, significant challenges remain.

The main purpose of this conference is to bring together government officials and policymakers, leading scholars, substance abuse treatment providers, and criminal justice practitioners from Asian countries to discuss opportunities, strategies, and challenges in building effective substance abuse prevention and treatment programs. While it focuses on Asia, the conference also aims at facilitating more broadly based international collaboration.

Much can be learned from the insights and experiences of scholars and professionals who are involved in substance abuse research and programs elsewhere in the world and from scientific evidence accumulated through research and program evaluations. Therefore, we will also welcome participants from other parts of the world who will bring international or comparative perspectives on substance abuse prevention and treatment or who will share information about effective criminal justice responses to drug abuse in non-Asian countries.


The conference will focus on social, psychological and criminal justice approaches to drug abuse prevention and treatment. To be more specific, the subthemes of the conference are as follows:

  1. Types, distributions, and trends of substance abuse
  2. Causes and consequences of substance abuse
  3. Prevention and treatment of substance abuse
  4. Correlates of substance abuse and crime
  5. Drugs and the criminal justice system
  6. Anti-drug Cooperation among Asian countries
  7. Scientific advancement and methodology

For more information, please visit the conference website.
