Who Expert Committee on Drug Dependence : Thirtieth Report

This is a critical review of available treatments for disorders caused by the harmful use of alcohol, tobacco, opioids and other psychoactive substances.

The report draws on recent research evaluating the effectiveness of a wide range of treatments, including new pharmacological tools. The first section, on treatment issues, discusses the objectives of treatment, including harm minimization as an intermediate goal, and provides a broad overview of interventional strategies for seven general conditions related to the use of psychoactive drugs. The report also addresses the considerable controversy surrounding the role of heroin maintenance and other forms of injectable opioid maintenance to treat opium users.

Concerning the issue of enforced abstinence, it cites evidence of extremely high relapse rates using this approach. Further discussion is related to the need for an effective national system aimed at reducing the health damage caused by the use of psychoactive substances.

The report concludes with a series of recommendations concerning policy issues, treatment, training and research, followed by a review of six substances, of known abusive potential, in order to determine their need for critical review in the context of international control.