Brussels, December 3, 2025 – The third annual AddictEU conference convened in Brussels today, bringing together nearly 20 international experts, including Members of the European Parliament, addiction specialists, researchers, and representatives from the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) and NGOs. Building on the success of previous editions, including AddictCZSK 2024 in Bratislava, this year’s conference reinforced its status as a premier platform for shaping European policy. Organized by the Institute for Rational Addiction Policies (IRAP), the Institute for Mental Health and Addiction Studies (IMHAS), and Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN), the event focused on bridging the gap between mental health care and addiction regulation through evidence-based strategies.
“We continue to push through the AddictEU conference growing recognition that fragmented approaches to addiction and mental health are not effective enough,” said Jindřich Vobořil, Chairman of the Institute for Rational Addiction Policies. “As the European Union develops not only its cardiovascular and mental health strategies, we must ensure that harm reduction principles, rooted in evidence and centered on minimizing impact, become central to EU-wide policy frameworks. The challenge is not to create a world without addictive substances, which is neither realistic nor necessarily conducive to mental wellbeing, but rather to establish evidence-based regulations that minimize harms while respecting individual autonomy,” he added.
Mental Health: A Growing Public Health Priority in the EU
Panelists addressed the escalating mental health crisis, noting that approximately 1 in 6 people in the EU currently live with a mental health condition. With the economic cost of mental illness estimated at €600 billion annually, over 4% of EU GDP, the discussion highlighted the urgent need for investment in prevention and care.
“We cannot discuss economic resilience without discussing mental health,” emphasized Mikuláš Peksa, Former Member of the European Parliament, Member of the Regulatory Board of the IMHAS and CEO of Cybermindnet, and added: “The burden of depression and anxiety diminishes not only individual quality of life but also the productivity and social cohesion that underpin a competitive Europe. We must rethink our interventions, including the potential of emerging therapeutic approaches, ensuring policy is driven by evidence rather than outdated prohibition frameworks.”
Protecting Vulnerable Groups & Cardiovascular Health
The conference addressed the substantial public health burden arising from the consumption of licit drugs, including alcohol, tobacco, and ultra-processed foods, which remain leading contributors to chronic disease in Europe. Cardiovascular disease alone is responsible for 1.7 million deaths annually in the EU and costs more than €280 billion in healthcare spending and lost productivity. With the European Commission preparing to release an EU Cardiovascular Health Plan expected by the end of 2025, panelists discussed how evidence-based regulation, harm reduction strategies, and prevention can complement clinical interventions.
“Correlation is honored to contribute to this vital European dialogue on drug use, drug dependence, and mental health,” noted Katrin Schiffer, Director of Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network. “Our work with civil society organisations shows that evidence-based policies, inclusive service provision, and harm reduction not only save lives but also protect people who are disproportionately affected by inequalities and vulnerabilities. AddictEU provides an essential platform for exchange between research, practice, and policy, enabling civil society to participate meaningfully in these discussions and to help shape the future of drug and mental health policies,” she added.
“Harm reduction is not limited to needle exchange programs or supervised consumption sites,” explained Vobořil. “It encompasses a comprehensive policy approach, including evidence-based taxation, regulated markets, innovative regulatory frameworks, and legislative solutions tailored to the risk profile of each substance. The upcoming EU Cardiovascular Health Plan provides an unprecedented opportunity to integrate harm reduction principles into prevention and health protection strategies, ensuring that vulnerable populations, particularly youth, are protected while building long-term health resilience,” said Jindřich Vobořil.
Regulating the New Wave of Psychomodulatory Substances
The final session tackled the regulatory void surrounding new psychomodulatory substances like kratom and low-THC cannabis. While the EUDA reported a stabilization in new psychoactive substance notifications, down to 12 in the first half of 2024, the market remains complex. The panel showcased the Czech Republic’s 2024 regulatory framework as a pioneering model, shifting from criminalization to strict regulation with age verification and quality control.
“The Czech model demonstrates that regulatory alternatives exist between the extremes of uncontrolled availability and criminal enforcement,” explained Viktor Mravčík, Vice-Chairman of the Board of the Society for Addictive Diseases of the Czech Medical Association and Scientific Advisor of the National Drug Coordinator, Office of the Czech Government and lead architect of the Czech psychomodulatory substances framework, and added: “This adaptive model is rooted in risk assessment principles, incorporates mechanisms for reclassification as new evidence emerges, and provides a template adaptable to different national contexts while remaining within the broader EU regulatory framework.”
AddictEU 2025 successfully cemented its role as a vital forum for European health policy. By uniting policymakers, scientists, and civil society, the conference delivered a clear message: the future of EU health policy depends on systematically integrating mental health support with realistic, harm-reduction-based regulation of addictive substances. These outcomes will directly inform upcoming EU initiatives on cardiovascular health and the regulation of emerging psychoactive products.
About organizators:
Institute for Rational Addiction Policies (IRAP)
Institute for Rational Addiction Policies (IRAP) established by former National Drug Policy Coordinator Jindřich Vobořil, is a multi-disciplinary think tank based in Brno, Czech Republic, that gathers independent and renowned experts who study the topic of addiction from different perspectives (public and mental health, legislation, economics and market modelling, tax issues, education, and sociological aspects). Together with prevention and awareness-raising activities, IRAP implements research projects to generate insight and important data that could serve as input for legislative and non-legislative discussions at the national and EU levels.
Institute for Mental Health and Addiction Studies (IMHAS)
Institute for Mental Health and Addiction Studies (IMHAS), builds an international cooperation network focusing on the Czech Republic and the Central and Eastern European region. IMHAS activities include conducting research projects, developing methodological recommendations, analyzing legislation, and organizing professional platforms for sharing innovative approaches. As an organization, IMHAS contribute to the development of policy and practice in mental health and addiction based on current scientific knowledge and data.
Correlation European Harm Reduction Network (CEHRN)
CEHRN is a European civil society network and centre of expertise in the fields of drug use, harm reduction, and social inclusion, which was established in 2004 and is hosted by Stichting De Regenboog Groep (FRG) in Amsterdam (Netherlands). FRG is a long-standing, low-threshold service provider offering harm reduction and support services to people who use drugs and other marginalised communities, including undocumented migrants, people experiencing homelessness, and individuals with mental health problems, in Amsterdam. The network brings together a diverse membership of over 370 actors across Europe – including approximately 190 organisational and 180 individual members. Its members span grassroots and community-based and community-led organisations, harm reduction service providers and academic and health institutions. With members in every EU Member State, as well as neighbouring and other countries, C-EHRN ensures wide-ranging and context-specific knowledge, input, and regional representation.
Brussels,