Institute for Mental Health and Addiction Studies

Is there something the public still doesn't understand about addiction? At #AddictionsCEE2026, Dr. Ladislav Csémy, President of @Inst_MHAS - Institute for Mental Health and Addiction Studies, reflects on how public awareness of addiction has improved over time, with stigma gradually becoming less pronounced. However, he highlights one important message: people experiencing addiction need professional support, and the earlier they receive it, the better. Family members and friends often notice the first signs of a problem. Recognising these signs and encouraging someone to seek help early can make a significant difference, before addiction becomes more deeply entrenched and difficult to treat. #AddictionTreatment #MentalHealth #PublicHealth

Why is smart regulation better than simply banning new psychoactive substances? At #AddictionsCEE2026, Dr. Jana Michailidu, MSc., Ph.D. questions the effectiveness of prohibition, pointing out that decades of efforts to create a drug-free world have failed to achieve their stated goal. Rather than focusing on eliminating substance use entirely, she argues for smarter regulation aimed at reducing risks and preventing harm. Her perspective also highlights the importance of mental health: addressing the underlying vulnerabilities that can contribute to problematic substance use and addiction. #DrugPolicy #SmartRegulation #PublicHealth @malajankaa

If you could change one thing in European tobacco policy tomorrow, what would it be? At #AddictionsCEE2026, Hon. Prof. (FH) Dr. Bernhard Rupp, MBA calls for a stronger commitment to scientific evidence in European tobacco policy. His message is straightforward: there is already a substantial body of research available, and it should no longer be overlooked in policy discussions and decision-making. Evidence should be at the centre of shaping effective tobacco control policies. #EvidenceBasedPolicy #PublicHealth

What regulation would save the most lives today? At #AddictionsCEE2026, Dr. Casian Stan highlights the importance of making proven harm reduction interventions more accessible to those who need them. Supervised consumption facilities, take-home naloxone, needle and syringe programmes, and opioid agonist treatment are among the interventions that can help prevent overdose deaths and reduce drug-related harms. The challenge is not simply knowing what works, but creating the regulatory conditions that allow services to reach people and put these interventions into practice. #AddictionTreatment #PublicHealth

What is the biggest myth society still believes about people living with addiction? At #AddictionsCEE2026, Jakub Popik points to one of the most harmful misconceptions: that people with addiction are somehow less worthy or do not belong in society. Stigma and social exclusion remain significant barriers to understanding, support and recovery. People experiencing addiction are part of our society. Their dignity, rights and access to care should never be in question. @ludskotravnik #HumanRights #MentalHealth

What has disappointed you most about the way addiction treatment is delivered? At #AddictionsCEE2026, Prof. Dr. Wim van den Brink highlights a persistent gap between scientific evidence and clinical practice in addiction treatment. While other fields of medicine often adopt treatments supported by strong evidence, addiction medicine can be slower to embrace proven pharmacological interventions. For Prof. van den Brink, one of the greatest frustrations is that effective medications already exist, yet they are not being used as widely as the evidence would support. Closing the gap between research and everyday clinical practice remains an important challenge for addiction treatment. #AddictionsCEE2026 #AddictionTreatment #EvidenceBasedMedicine #PublicHealth

What poses the greatest threat to young people's mental health today? At #AddictionsCEE2026, Prof. Dr. Jiří Horáček, Ph.D., FCMA highlights two interconnected challenges: the growing complexity of global crises and the digital environment in which young people spend much of their time. From climate change and armed conflicts to economic and social uncertainty, today's generation is exposed to multiple sources of stress. While digital technologies offer many benefits, they can also amplify negative events and bring distant crises into our everyday lives, increasing the psychological burden on young people. Understanding how these pressures interact is essential to addressing the mental health challenges of younger generations. #MentalHealth #YouthMentalHealth #DigitalWellbeing

Dnes je Světový den duševního zdraví. Jak jsme na tom s duševním zdravím v České republice? Podle nejnovějšího výzkumu společnosti Ipsos zažilo v uplynulém roce 64 % Čechů tak silný stres, že měli pocit, že některé věci nezvládají. 44 % se potýkalo s dlouhodobým smutkem či beznadějí a více než čtvrtina (26 %) kvůli stresu nebo psychickým potížím nemohla po určitou dobu chodit do práce či školy. Největší psychickou zátěž přitom pociťují mladí lidé. V generaci Z zažily tři čtvrtiny respondentů situaci, kdy kvůli stresu nezvládali běžné každodenní záležitosti. Přestože 81 % Čechů považuje duševní zdraví za stejně důležité jako zdraví fyzické, téměř polovina se domnívá, že mu český zdravotnický systém stále nevěnuje srovnatelnou pozornost. Duševní zdraví není jen individuální záležitostí, ale také otázkou veřejného zdraví. Výsledky výzkumu připomínají, jak důležité je posilovat prevenci, včasnou pomoc a dostupnost péče o duševní zdraví. Zdroj: Ipsos, říjen 2026 hashtag#WorldMentalHealthDay hashtag#SvetovyDenDusevnihoZdravi hashtag#DusevniZdravi hashtag#VerejneZdravi

Společnost bez kuřáků, alkoholu či konzumentů nezdravého jídla je iluze. Nulové riziko může zůstat ideálem, funkční veřejná politika ale musí pracovat s realitou, a s měřitelným snižováním zdravotních rizik. Právě realisticky nastavené cíle prevence a princip harm reduction byly jedním z témat konference Ekonomika prevence zdravotních rizik. Jak upozorňuje ředitel VZP Ivan Duškov, veřejné politiky by neměly sklouzávat k černobílému pohledu na zdraví a rizikové chování. Také Jiří Votruba z VFN Praha zdůrazňuje význam méně rizikových alternativ tam, kde se úplné odstranění rizikového chování nedaří. Efektivní prevence totiž není jen otázkou ideálního cíle. Důležité je také to, zda se nám daří riziko v populaci skutečně a měřitelně snižovat. Více v článku Zdravotnického deníku: zdravotnickydenik.cz/2026/10…

What is the Czech mental health care system missing the most today? At #AddictionsCEE2026, Dr. Dita Protopopová, Ph.D. points first to the need for stronger prevention – in schools and within communities. But the challenge goes further. The system needs to work step by step, from community support, education and mental health literacy to accessible professional care. With the mental health of children and adolescents deteriorating, strengthening every level of this system is becoming increasingly important. #MentalHealth #Prevention #YouthMentalHealth

Why are human rights an important part of addiction policy? At #AddictionsCEE2026, Ganna Dovbakh @GDovbakh explains why the human rights perspective becomes particularly important when drug use and possession are addressed through prohibition and criminalisation. When the state exercises its power through criminal law, she argues, the consequences can extend far beyond drug policy itself, affecting people’s social, cultural and health rights. Her message is clear: addiction policy is not only about substances. It is also about how policies affect the rights, health and lives of people. #HumanRights #DrugPolicy #PublicHealth

What is the biggest challenge Europe is facing in addiction policy today? At #AddictionsCEE2026, Dr. Linda Montanari, MSc., Ph.D. highlights two essential priorities: keeping up with rapidly evolving challenges through reliable evidence, and turning proven interventions into practice. Knowing what works is only part of the solution. We also need practical tools to implement evidence-based approaches and ensure that effective responses reach the people who need them. #AddictionPolicy #PublicHealth #EvidenceBasedPolicy

What is the biggest mistake we make in addiction policy? At #AddictionsCEE2026, @PavelBemNPK reflects on the limits of the “war on drugs” approach and what decades of experience with prohibition have taught us. His key point: focusing primarily on repression does not eliminate the demand for psychoactive substances. At the same time, illicit markets can create their own serious harms – from organised crime and violence to wider impacts on communities and public health. Drug policy needs to be judged not only by its intentions, but by its real-world outcomes. #DrugPolicy #PublicHealth #AddictionPolicy

Vláda schválila tzv. Lex Kratom, který zpřísňuje regulaci kratomu a dalších psychoattivních výrobků. Racionální regulace, ochrana dětí a důsledné vymáhání pravidel jsou důležitou součástí veřejného zdraví. Stejně důležité je ale sledovat také možné nezamýšlené dopady nové legislativy. To se týká například i nikotinových výrobků. Předložený návrh nikotinové sáčky přímo nezakazuje, některá jeho ustanovení však mohou vytvořit právní nejistotu a ovlivnit jejich dostupnost na legálním trhu. Česko přitom již má pro nikotinové sáčky vlastní regulační rámec a patří mezi první evropské země, které tuto kategorii legislativně řešily. Při nastavování pravidel pro návykové látky je proto důležité hledat rovnováhu mezi ochranou před riziky, prevencí užívání a principy snižování škod. mf.gov.cz/cs/ministerstvo/me…

What do the data tell us that society is not listening to? At #AddictionsCEE2026, Dr. Ladislav Csémy reminds us that the costs of addiction go far beyond what we see immediately. Prevention, harm reduction and early intervention can prevent much greater health and social costs later. #PublicHealth #AddictionPolicy

Why is simply banning substances often not enough? As @docsteinmetz explains at #AddictionsCEE2026, banning a substance does not eliminate demand. People may simply seek alternatives - one of the factors driving the emergence of new psychoactive substances. #DrugPolicy #PublicHealth