Speed User invited for Opiat Conference

HaRdCOREhARMREdUCER · Joined: 20 May 2007 Posts: 3 Location: Belgium

Hey people,

Milena Naydenova (Hope, Sofia) and I are invited to go to “THE INAUGURAL MEETING – WORLD FEDERATION FOR THE ASSOCIATIONS FOR THE TREATMENT OF OPIOID DEPENDENCE” (WFATOD), Ljubljana, Slovenia, June 30 - July 3 2007

We both send in an abstract and got accepted.

In my abstract I stress for opening up for medical support for people who use Amphethamine Type Stimulants (ATS) and cocaine. I'm not sure if in the end I get to present the abstract. The organization replied that all presentations will be about opiat addiction and that they'd love to have a presentation about Inpud. I can't let go this opportunity for Inpud promotion so I'm ok whit that.

Non the less I think we have an issue.

How to get the issue on the drug policy agenda?
Or no need for it?
What can we learn from User Advocates in the opiat field(!)

I've copied the abstract here below.

Titel:

Medical assisted treatment of dependency. What about cocaine, amphetamine type stimulants (ATS)?

For the past decade ATS and cocaine have firmly displaced the opiates from the illegal drug market. Already there are too many amphetamine and cocaine Users who, despite the abstinence based opinions of treatment specialist, deal whit life long dependency.

Unfortunately no one seems to be prepared to treat people whit ATS or cocaine dependency according to their needs. There is great fear among medical practitioners to talk about a maintaining therapy for people who use ATS or cocaine. There are just a few of us lucky enough, as I am, to get prescriptions of their well-disposed and benevolent family doctors (Gps). Those of us who do get prescription are only a small fraction of people who could use professional medical support or treatment. The number of people whit supportive medication for ATS and cocaine is so small that it is insignificant for the statistics. This leaves us whit no evidence base to support medical assisted maintenance for people who use ATS and cocaine.

As this is THE FIRST WORLD CONFERENCE ON MEDICAL ASSISTED TREATMENT OF OPIATE ADDICTION, and there are not such conferences for AST/cocaine dependency, I think here is the place to mention how important this kind of treatment is for all of us who use this kind of drugs on a regular bases, because we have been literally left on our own whit our drug issue (=abstinence or nothing)

People who use ATS and cocaine are only beginning the fight for our rights for proper treatment. Opiate users are miles ahead of us and I do believe, as the most respected drug treatment specialists are gathered in this room today, you are the only one, who can support us in our struggle and help us so our voices be heard all over the world.

Besides, I believe that INPUD and the WORLD FEDERATION OF THE ASSOCIATIONS FOR THE TREATMENT OF OPIOID DEPENDENCE, that you are establishing now, can be equal partners. Being the International coordinator of the network, and having amphetamine on prescription I hope we will cooperate until this issue is put into the agenda and support gained. Not all peole can cope with a drug-free life stile, which is the ultimate goal of every kind of therapy. It is not a realistic goal for many of us.

grtz
Sx
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**Brent** · Joined: 02 May 2007 Posts: 23 Location: Eastern Ontario

That's really right on HardCore. Congratulations to you and Milena for having the initiative to put in your proposal. Cool

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Roy A · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 9:23 pm Post subject:

Wa ta go hardcore
We can all learn and support each other after all a drug is a drug is a drug is a drug. Addiction is about why not what we use.
Strength is solidarity right

Roy
As It Is
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Everything Happens For a Reason
AS IT IS