Week 1
I arrived in Lisbon in Sunday night to an orange sunset, to attend the two week European Drugs Summer School, Illicit drugs in Europe: demand, supply and public policies. The programme is hosted by the University Institute of Lisbon and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), and this year has a focus on prevention.
The morning of the first day, I arrived at the university where I began to meet the 54 other participants. Everyone in the course was so welcoming and friendly and we’ve all been getting on well and learning from each other.
There are participants from all across Europe:
🇮🇪 Ireland
🇵🇱 Poland
🇪🇸 Spain
🇪🇪 Estonia
🇩🇪 Germany
🇩🇰 Denmark
🇧🇪 Belgium
🇦🇹 Austria
🇫🇷 France
🇳🇱 Holland
🇸🇰 Slovakia
🇮🇹 Italy
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
🇨🇭 Switzerland
🇬🇧 Britain
🇵🇹 Portugal (of course)
🏴 and me from Scotland
There are also students from other regions of the world:
🇨🇦 Canada
🇺🇸 United States
🇵🇪 Peru
🇦🇷 Argentina
🇧🇷 Brazil
🇸🇨 the Seychelles
🇵🇭 the Philippines
🇦🇺 and Australia
It’s been so interesting to learn about other countries, cultures and the approaches to drug policy.
So, Day 1, we heard from various professionals from the EMCDDA, and Robert West, tobacco expert, who introduced us to ontologies to organise theories on drug addiction. We ended the day at the EMCDDA at a welcome reception for us all, which was a great opportunity to get to better know our fellow students, before watching Portugal v Iran at the Praça do Comércio. It was a great atmosphere when Portugal progresses from the group stages!
Day 2 was spent at the EMCDDA, where we learnt about the global burden of drug related problems, patterns and trends of drug use in Europe, an overview of drug treatment in Europe, before ending the learning for the day on drug related deaths.
After the learning some of us had a snack in a cafe that doubled as a spray paint shop and steer art gallery, before walking (uphill) through the streets of Lisbon to our various accommodations.
Day 3 started with a focus on drug related diseases, before our first study visit, to the Commission for the Dissuasion of Drug Addiction. Here we learnt about drug policy and approach in Portugal and that the approach was a response to 1% of the population using heroin. Everyone knew someone that was affected, and they realised something had to change.
After lunch (three courses each day!) I was the first of the students to present on an aspect of our work. I began by giving everyone some shortbread, which thankfully survived four baggage handling experiences! I presented on our Discussing Drugs and Alcohol with Young People training course, before Anton spoke about drug-checking in night time settings and Frédérique spoke about overlapping medical and recreational cannabis use.
To end the day a Spanish man and women from Ireland, England, Poland, Catalonia, Austria, Estonia, Denmark and Scotland went out for tea and it was delicious!
Day 4 (already!), and the focus was in cannabis and various topics about cannabis use, penalties and behaviours. We then had a very interesting presentation on alcohol prevention from the European Alcohol Policy Alliance. To end the day, more presentations from students. Luise talked about sketch mapping for drug use, Piret discussed detection of psychoactive substances, Raúl talked about his prevention programme ‘Me & Others’ and Roni shared her knowledge about chemsex.
This evening some of us are going to watch the sunset on a rooftop bar. It’s called the Park Bar, I wonder if it will be anything like the one in Glasgow…
Outside the University of Lisbon, Ala Autónoma Building, in Lisbon, Portugal 
Flags flying outside of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). 
My identification badge whilst attending the European Drugs Summer School. 
Some Walkers shortbread – a gift to the other students at the summer school. 
Eve MacLeod presenting details of the Discussing Drugs and Alcohol with Young People training course. 
Out for a meal in Lisbon. 
A busy street in Lisbon. 
A view looking over Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara. 
The Memorial to the Heroes of the Peninsular War, Lisbon. 
A view of Lisbon at dusk.