The international AddictCZSK conference in Bratislava, Slovakia, provided a platform for exchanging experiences and discussing modern strategies and approaches in the fields of addictions and mental health. Experts from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and several other European countries discussed the latest trends in research, prevention, and regulation. The conference program featured four discussion panels and more than 20 international speakers. The event was organized by the Institute for Rational Addiction Policy, the PRIMA non-governmental organisation, and the Harm Reduction Academy. The AddictCZSK conference was held under the auspices of the Slovak Ministry of Health.
Mental Health as a Key Topic in Europe
The European Union is facing a growing mental health crisis, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and current geopolitical challenges. “In 2023, 46% of Europeans experienced emotional or psychosocial problems, significantly burdening healthcare systems across member states. In response to these growing challenges, the European Commission introduced a comprehensive mental health strategy last June. The Czech Republic is among the European leaders in this field and, during its EU Council Presidency, brought mental health back to the top of the EU agenda,”emphasized former Czech Member of the European Parliament, Mikuláš Peksa, who has been a long-time advocate for mental health issues.
Experts Highlight the Link Between Addiction and Mental Health
Research confirms a close connection between addiction and mental health. According to the 2023 Summary Report on Addiction in the Czech Republic, more than 50% of people with addiction also suffer from a mental health disorder, most commonly anxiety or depression. Similar impacts are observed in gambling problems. According to the European Drug Report 2023, 70% of individuals with gambling disorders experience anxiety-depressive disorders, 46% have suicidal thoughts, and 14% have attempted suicide.
Both the Czech Republic and Slovakia also have a high level of alcohol consumption. In the Czech Republic, annual alcohol consumption averages 10 litres of pure ethanol per person, equivalent to approximately 22 grams per day per capita, including children and seniors. Daily alcohol consumption is reported by 6–10% of the adult population, with men making up the majority of daily drinkers. Slovakia shows similar trends. According to the National Health Information Center, more than 20,000 people in Slovakia are diagnosed with alcohol addiction annually, accounting for approximately 76% of all addiction cases diagnosed in psychiatric outpatient clinics. Excessive alcohol consumption significantly increases the risk of developing mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety, in both countries.
Europe Needs a Coherent and Rational Approach
According to experts, Europe urgently needs to modernize its outdated regulatory framework for psychoactive substances. “The European Union’s approach to regulating addictive substances remains inconsistent. Alcohol, with its high addictive potential and significant health risks, is widely available and insufficiently regulated. Conversely, the non-therapeutic use of other psychoactive substances is prohibited, and users face severe criminal penalties. This disparity does not reflect the actual risks of individual substances, undermines trust in existing regulations, and strengthens the illegal market, which erodes the rule of law. The EU should adopt a modern, harm-reduction approach that considers the relative risks of substances. A new regulatory framework for so-called psychomodulatory substances could serve as a model for the entire EU,” explained Viktor Mravčík, Ph.D., head of the Scientific Department at the Institute for Rational Addiction Policy and a representative of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) Management Board for the European Parliament.
The Czech Republic and Slovakia Have Experience with Evidence-Based Regulation
The Czech Parliament recently passed a “psychomodulatory regulation,” promoting a responsible approach to new psychoactive substances, recognized by experts as a best practice example. The regulation introduces new substance categories and sets strict conditions for their sale and control, avoiding a prohibitionist regime. Substances such as HHC or kratom may only be sold in specialized stores with strict monitoring of active ingredient content. Sales to minors are prohibited, and online sales require age verification of buyers. This legal framework reduces public health risks and limits the availability of these substances to minors.
The Czech Republic is also innovative in regulating previously unregulated substances. The previous Czech government introduced regulations for nicotine pouches, aiming to emulate the “Swedish experience.” Sweden has the lowest smoking prevalence among EU countries due to the availability of less harmful alternatives. According to Jindřich Vobořil, Chairman of the Institute for Rational Addiction Policy, this case is part of a broader mosaic of evidence-based approaches that deliver results: “The Czech Republic has implemented a unified policy for legal and illegal addictions, allowing for better understanding and mitigation of their societal impacts. This approach delivers tangible results. According to this year’s Eurobarometer study, smoking prevalence dropped by 7% in just four years. Evidence-based policies have measurable impacts on public health and quality of life.”
Jindřich Vobořil added: “Policies ideologically focused solely on abstinence have never proven successful. A harm reduction approach, which focuses on minimizing harm and risks—with abstinence as one component—is the only rational and effective solution, supported by clear outcomes.”
In the area of tobacco alternatives, the Czech Republic and Slovakia partially share a vision of modern, targeted regulation that protects vulnerable groups while offering less harmful alternatives to adult users. Slovakia has also actively moved toward regulating nicotine pouches, following the Czech Republic’s lead. However, a debate is underway in the National Council of the Slovak Republic regarding the regulation of nicotine products.
A proposed amendment to the Act on the Production, Labeling, and Sale of Tobacco Products aims to protect minors by proposing a blanket ban on flavored e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and all other nicotine products except for tobacco, mint, and menthol flavors. According to Prof. Dr. Ernest Groman: “Flavors are crucial for providing adult smokers with attractive and less harmful alternatives to traditional cigarettes. Protecting minors can be effectively achieved through packaging regulations and bans on specific flavors that mimic candies or beverages.”
Experts Agree on the Importance of Supporting Harm Reduction
Harm reduction approaches, including promoting less harmful alternatives, brief intervention programs, and substitution treatment, have proven to be the most effective tools for managing the impacts of addiction. “Harm reduction not only protects users’ health but also brings significant savings in public healthcare. It is key to modern addiction behavior policy and is based on scientific evidence,” said Dr. Ladislav Csémy, President of the Harm Reduction Academy and a psychologist at the National Institute of Mental Health’s addiction research program.
According to Sabína Lužica Brédová from the PRIMA non-governmental organisation, Slovakia still has a long way to go in harm reduction compared to other countries: “Examples include the Czech Republic, Portugal, Denmark, or Switzerland. Services such as supervised consumption rooms, drug testing, more accessible substitution treatment, and naloxone distribution are fundamental harm reduction methods based on scientific knowledge and international best practices. These approaches are essential for reducing the health and social risks associated with drug use, combating stigma, and fulfilling our human rights commitments.”
AddictCZSK: Connecting National and European Efforts
At the AddictCZSK conference, held under the auspices of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic, politicians, representatives of the European Union Drugs Agency, national authorities, scientists, and researchers gathered to discuss progress in addiction prevention and treatment, as well as new insights in mental health research.
This conference follows last year’s AddictEU conference in Brussels, which became a key platform for addressing addiction issues at the European level. AddictCZSK also comes just one month after the prestigious Lisbon Addictions 2024 event, where the Institute for Rational Addiction Policy organized a high-level roundtable with politicians, experts, and economists to discuss effective approaches to addiction regulation.
For the Institute for Rational Addiction Policy, this marks its third major international conference. Following Brussels and Lisbon, its activities have now reached Bratislava, highlighting its global ambitions and the critical connection between addiction and mental health.