Editorial: addiction studies at Trinity College Dublin

Abstract

Plans for a special issue of Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy based on the addiction studies component of what is now the School of Social Work and Social Policy at Trinity College Dublin were initially discussed and agreed during 2009, the 25th anniversary of the first cohort of students through Trinity’s Diploma in Addiction Studies. We had initially thought of holding a one-day conference to which we would invite Irish and international speakers but – with the support and encouragement of Professor Betsy Thom (Editor-in-Chief) – decided it might be more useful and less ephemeral to mark the anniversary by the production of a special issue of this journal. Therefore, the articles in this issue were commissioned from staff and former students with a view, first of all, to allowing us to reflect on the overall experience of teaching addiction studies here at Trinity and, second, to explore a number of themes which, between them, might add to our understanding of addiction policy and practice in contemporary Ireland. The themes covered here are not, of course, unique to Ireland and we trust that the articles will be of interest and relevance to readers in other countries