Understanding Substance Use and Addiction

The impact of criminalization and alternatives to punishment.

Alcohol, opioids, stimulants, cannabis, and prescription drugs.

How different societies view and respond to addiction.

Advances in neuroscience, public health, and treatment innovation.

How heredity and environment interact in addiction.

Poverty, housing, trauma, and community factors.

Myths that prevent people from seeking help.

Youth, adults, and seniors: different patterns and risks.

Brain chemistry, reward systems, and how substances alter behaviour.

Defining substance use disorder and distinguishing it from use.