Our vision is a future where drug demand reduction is a global priority. Where there is universal access to ethical, evidence-based prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery support. A future where better lives are possible for millions of people.
Our mission: We are an international network that unites, connects and shares knowledge across the substance use prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery support workforce. Our global mission is to make the work of our members as impactful, accessible and effective as possible. We do this by making it easier to discover and share evidence-based knowledge, best practice, training and networking opportunities.
Watch our animation below to learn more about what we offer to the global substance use workforce.
Promoting ethical, evidence-based interventions
ISSUP’s contribution is informed by science and promotes evidence-based, high quality and ethical practice. Learn more about our Code of Ethics.
We implement our activities in consultation with:
- Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA)
- Colombo Plan
- Cooperation Programme on Drugs Policies (COPOLAD)
- European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA)
- European Society for Prevention Research (EUSPR)
- Organisation of American States / Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (OAS/CICAD)
- Society for Prevention Research (SPR)
- The European Prevention Standards Partnership
- United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
- U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)
- World Health Organisation (WHO)
Prevention, treatment and recovery related science has moved forward substantially over recent years through the work of the above and related agencies. This is illustrated by the development of the Universal Prevention Curriculum and the Universal Treatment Curriculum provided through INL and Colombo Plan, the European Drug Prevention Quality Standards funded by the European Union and undertaken by the European Prevention Standards Partnership, and the International Standards on Drug Use Prevention produced by UNODC.
However their remains a need for coherence and collaboration between the organisations involved. The challenge is to apply the science, making it accessible and comprehensible for everyone within the substance use workforce. Furthermore, there is a vital need to professionalise the workforce, to promote quality standards and ethical, evidence-based practice and for that workforce to be represented by an international organisation. ISSUP has been established to meet these needs and challenges.
ISSUP was initiated in 2015 through INL, working in consultation with African Union, OAS/CICAD, Colombo Plan, UNODC and WHO. It was formally established in the UK as a not for profit company limited by guarantee in February 2016. ISSUP is a unique initiative offering an international and credible professional membership body bringing together both the treatment and prevention workforce.