Samantha Sacramento MP, Minster with Responsibility for Drug and Alcohol Awareness and Rehabilitation Services, is attending the European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies in Lisbon.

This is a biannual multi-disciplinary international conference at the highest level, and is attended by over 1000 delegates from all over the world who are professionals specialising in the field of addiction. The conference addresses a wide variety of subjects, including the latest research and policy development, and deals with rehabilitation, enforcement and public health issues. It also provides a forum for networking among professionals.

The conference was preceded on Monday by separate conferences organised by the Alcohol Policy Network and the World Health Organisation.

Minister Sacramento is accompanied by a delegation of multi-agency professionals who work in drugs-related services and who represent a core section of the Gibraltar Drugs Advisory Council. At the Conference, the Gibraltar delegation will focus on:

• Research

• Prevalence surveys and data collection

• Policy development

• Prevention

• Young people

• Education

• Emerging drugs

• Drugs driving

• Domestic abuse

• Crime

• Rehabilitation

• Sharing best practise

Minister Sacramento said: “This conference has been invaluable, not only in the substantive knowledge gained but also by the contacts and opportunities for future collaboration that we have secured. The learnings from the Conference will no doubt help my team of professionals in the development of our strategic policy.”