The EMCDDA is offering a new series of webinars around the theme of COVID-19. The purpose of the webinars is to help those working in the drugs field understand how drug users, and those supporting them, are coping with the pandemic and to share knowledge and experience. The webinars will give a voice to key professionals working in the drugs field and will allow for discussion on emerging challenges. The sessions, chaired by EMCDDA staff members, are open to EMCDDA employees, the Reitox network and professionals working in the domain.

In the trial phase, the webinars will vary in length and frequency and will be adjusted following participants’ evaluations. The agency is testing the webinar format as a new EMCDDA product type.

This second webinar takes place on 20 May on the theme: 'How is COVID-19 shaping the future of drug services in Europe?' (13.00–14.30 CET – Brussels time).

Registration now open >>

Objective: To help the audience reflect on treatment-related issues during the COVID-19 emergency.

Background: This is the second EMCDDA webinar in this series. While the first webinar introduced the overall theme of coronavirus and drug-related issues, this second webinar will be more practical and will focus on the voice of frontline carers and drugs users.

Speakers: Speakers are selected from participants in a recent trendspotter exercise and are from Italy, Greece, Ireland and an NGO representing people who use drugs:

• Tony Duffin, Chief Executive Officer of Ana Liffey Drug Project, Ireland
• Phaedon Kaloterakis, President of the European Federation of Therapeutic Communities
• Mat Southwell, Project Manager European Network of People Who Use Drugs
• Marco Riglietta, Director of the Addictive Behaviour Centre in Bergamo, Italy

Format: The format of the webinar is an informal chat, during which each participant will talk in turn about how their ongoing activities related to COVID-19. They will share their learning points so far and also try to imagine how the epidemic will change their work going forward ('the new normal').