Drug conference hits the highs

The 2019 Alcohol and Drugs History Society conference, "Societies, States, the Sciences and Psychoactive Substances in History," took place at Shanghai University, the first time the conference has been held in Asia.

The three-day conference, which ended on Friday, has attracted more than 100 academics from countries including Australia, Canada and Mexico.

The ADHS is a scholarly organization founded in 2004, whose members study the history of illegal, regulated and unregulated drugs such as opium, alcohol and coffee.

According to Timothy Hickman, president of ADHS, the organization represents people from universities from all over the world and interested in drug and alcohol cultures.

"This year is the 110th anniversary of Shanghai's International Opium Commission, which was the real beginning of world drug policy. So we wanted to be here to be part of that as well," said Hickman. 

Zhang Yong'an, dean of the university's college of liberal arts, told Shanghai Daily that through the conference, they hope to show China's anti-drug efforts to the world. Following the conference, a blue book on drugs will be released at the university on June 26, the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. It will cover new trends in drugs and drug governance as well as international cooperation in anti-drug campaigns.

Attendees will visit two local drug rehabilitation centers in Jing'an and Xuhui districts to see art therapy in action.