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Agenda 

9:00 - 9:30         Registration and Coffee

9:30 - 10:00      Opening Remarks

  • Dr. Pavel Bém, Ph.D. Psychiatrist and Head of Family Therapy at the 1st Medical Faculty, Charles University Hospital in Prague, Czech National Drug Policy Coordinator and vice-chairman of the Government Council for Addiction Policy Coordination

  • Jindřich Vobořil, Chairman of the Board, Institute for Rational Addiction Policies

  • Dr. Boris Šťastný, MBA, LL.M., Minister of Sports, Prevention, and Health of the Czech Republic

10:00 - 10:20       Keynote Speech​

  • Linda Montanari, MSc, Ph.D., Principal Scientist - Health and Social Responses, Policy and Society Sector, European Union Drug Agency (EUDA)

10:20 - 10:30​     Case Study – Comorbidity of Opioid Dependence and Stimulants

  • Prof. Dr. Wim van den Brink, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry and Addiction at the Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam 

10:30 -11:30     Discussion Panel 1

From Crisis to Care: The Evolving Opioid Challenge

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This panel will examine the evolving patterns of illicit drug use in Central and Eastern Europe, with a particular emphasis on opioids. Experts will discuss emerging trafficking routes, harm reduction strategies, and innovative community-based responses. The session will highlight both national experiences and the role of EU coordination through the EUDA and regional partnerships.

  • ​Aileen O'Gorman, BA, MSc, Ph.D., Professor of Substance Use and Social Policy, University of the West of Scotland, Vice-President of the International Society for the Study of Drug Policy (ISSDP)

  • Jakub Popík, E.MA., Human Rights Officer and Drug Policy Expert, Member of the Scientific Board of the Institute for Mental Health and Addiction Studies

  • Ganna Dovbakh, Executive Director, Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA), Chair, EU Civil Society Forum on Drugs

  • Dr. Casian Stan, Physician and Psychotherapist, ARAS – Asociația Română Anti-SIDA, Specialist Physician in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care

Panel moderated by Ales Kuda, Founder and Clinical Director of the Origanum Institute, psychologist, and addiction specialist

11:30 - 11:40​     Case Study – Understanding Nicotine in the Landscape of Addictions

  • Dr. Kamila Zvolská, Ph.D., Centre for Tobacco Dependence, III. Internal Clinic - Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 1st Medical Faculty, Charles University in Prague, Faculty Polyclinic at General University Hospital in Prague

11:40 - 12:40     Discussion Panel 2

​​Public Health Strategies for Regulating Legal Addictive Substances

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Focusing on legal yet addictive substances, this panel will evaluate the effectiveness of current public health policies regulating alcohol and tobacco in the CEE region. The discussion will include fiscal measures, behavioural interventions, and industry responsibility. Experts will also explore new challenges, such as the rise of novel nicotine products and post-pandemic consumption trends.

  • Krzystof Landa, M.D., Former Deputy Minister of Health of Poland, President of the Ukrainian Society of Evidence-Based Health Care

  • Hon. Prof. (FH) Dr. Bernhard Rupp, MBA, Head of the Health Policy Department, Chamber of Workers and Employees for Lower Austria

  • Dr. Ladislav Kážmér, Ph.D., Researcher, National Institute of Mental Health, Czechia (NIMH), Member of Scientific Board of the Institute for Mental Health and Addiction Studies (IMHAS)

  • Dr. Kamila Zvolská, Ph.D., Centre for Tobacco Dependence, III. Internal Clinic - Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 1st Medical Faculty, Charles University in Prague, Faculty Polyclinic at General University Hospital in Prague

​Panel moderated by Michael Fanta, Co-founder of the European Economic Competitiveness Institute (EECI)

12:40 - 13:50     Lunch​ and Networking

13:50 - 14:50    Discussion Panel 3

Digital Well-Being: Cultivating Age-Appropriate Online Experiences 

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The digital environment introduces new dependencies that impact mental health, especially among young people. This panel will examine the psychological, neurological, and social aspects of digital addiction, including gaming, social media, and online gambling. Policymakers and technology experts will discuss evidence-based prevention strategies and possible regulatory frameworks.

  • Prof. Dr. Jiří Horáček, Ph.D., FCMA, Director of the Czech National Institute of Mental Health, Head of the Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology at the Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University

  • Dr. Dita Protopopová, Ph.D., National Coordinator for Mental Health at the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic, Executive Vice-Chair of the Government Council for Mental Health, and Head of the Mental Health Policy Department

  • Jan Šulc, Secretary of the Union of People with Experience of Addiction, Member of the Government Council for the Coordination of Addiction Policy

​Panel moderated by Helena Gherasim, Head of the Association of Providers of Addiction Services (APAS), Member of the Czech Government Council for Drug Policy Coordination

14:50 - 15:20      Coffee Break

15:20 - 16:20     Discussion Panel 4
New Frontiers: Smart Regulation of Emerging Psychoactive Substances

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New psychoactive substances, including cannabinoids, kratom, etc., present emerging challenges for regulators and clinicians. This panel will offer evidence-based strategies for managing these substances, balancing harm reduction, safety, and innovation. Policymakers from across Europe will compare national frameworks and discuss opportunities for coordinated EU-level action.

  • Jana Michailidu, MSc., Ph.D., Head of IRAP Expert Center, and an independent expert in biochemistry and neuropsychopharmacology on the Advisory Committee for the Assessment of Psychoactive Substances, Alternate Member of the Management Board of the EUDA 

  • Zuzana Nott, Member of the Board of the Union of People with Lived Experience of Addiction, Member of the Scientific Council of the Institute for European Legislation

  • Dr. Ľubomír Okruhlica, CSc, Director of the Center for the Treatment of Drug Addiction of the Slovak Republic

  • Dr. Fabian Steinmetz, Dipl.‑Ing. (FH), MSc, Ph.D., Senior Toxicologist, Delphic HSE, Member of the Scientific Board of the Institute for European Legislation, Member of the Scientific Board of the Institute for Mental Health and Addiction Studies

​Panel moderated by Tomáš Sadílek, Expert on International Drug Regulations

16:20 - 16:40      Closing Remarks​

  • Dr. Casian Stan, Physician and Psychotherapist, ARAS – Asociația Română Anti-SIDA, Specialist Physician in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care

  • Dr. Ladislav Csémy, President of the Institute for Mental Health and Addiction Studies (IMHAS), a psychologist working in the addiction research program at the National Institute of Mental Health

16:40 - 17:30      Informal Networking

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