Joint symposium on mental health and addiction: A discussion, exchange and sharing of perspectives

Abstract

This one-day symposium, held jointly by the UK Academy of Sciences and the Académie Nationale de Médecine1 in Paris, France, focused on the epidemiology and impact of both alcohol and cannabis addiction in young people in the UK and France.

Young people were defined according to the United Nations approach as between the ages of 15 and 24 years. The symposium also provided an opportunity to discuss the public health and legal frameworks designed to help prevent or mitigate addictions, and the responses of healthcare systems in both countries.

An overarching ambition of the symposium was to promote discussions to identify areas where lessons from one country may be applicable to the other, with the ultimate desire of highlighting ways in which addictions might be better treated in both countries.

The following report summarises the presentations and discussions held at the meeting, and outlines some of the key themes to emerge. Notably, the report also presents the key evidence gaps and opportunities for future research that delegates agreed should be prioritised in order to improve responses to addiction in both the UK and France.

It reflects the views expressed by participants at the meeting and does not necessarily represent the views of all participants, all members of the Steering Committee, the Academy of Medical Sciences or the Académie Nationale de Médecine.

The Academy of Medical Sciences and the Académie Nationale de Médecine are most grateful to the steering committee for their work towards the development of the agenda, and on the day itself. Details of the steering committee members are provided in Annex 1.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Julia Sinclair: orcid.org/0000-0002-1905-2025

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