The SSA is beginning 2025 with an ambitious new strategy, new members of the Board of Trustees, and a new Chief Executive Officer. Read about what you can expect from the Society going forward.

The SSA’s Annual Conference in November 2024 marked a major milestone for the Society – its 140th anniversary. At the event, Dr Rob Calder gave a talk on the Society’s origins and early values, where the Society sits within the field of addiction today, and what it has the power and potential to achieve in the next 140 years. He also described the Society’s path over the next three years, which is summed up by a new mission and vision.

“Our mission is to advance the scientific understanding of addictive products and behaviours and the use of this knowledge in policy and practice.”

“Our vision is that people and communities no longer experience harms related to addictive products and behaviours.”

As Rob explained, the Society has always been committed to advancing the scientific understanding of addiction and will now endeavour to take a more active role in implementing evidence-based policy and practice.

The Society started this work in earnest on 1 January 2025, when Rob took on the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He has more than 20 years’ experience in policy, research, and treatment in the substance use sector, and has been working for the SSA since 2019.

As CEO, Rob will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Society. He is joined by a small team of staff: Natalie Davies (Head of Communications), Jess Duncan (Social Media Specialist), and Graham Hunt (Operations Officer).

Over the next three years, the Society plans to invest resources and champion innovation in three key areas:

  • People: “We aim to increase the number, visibility, influence, and skills of people who contribute to addiction science, policy, and practice through funding research, education, networking, and other professional development opportunities.”
  • Science: “We aim to advance the scientific understanding of addictive products and behaviours through funding, publishing, communicating, debating, and disseminating research findings and showcasing best practice.”
  • Policy and practice: “We aim to promote evidence-based local, national, and international policy and practice on addictive products and behaviours through wider stakeholder communications that integrate the views of people with lived experience.”

The SSA is in a unique position to advance these charitable aims. It draws from the experience and expertise of its Board of Trustees, led by Professor Owen Bowden-Jones, two scientific journals (Addiction and Addiction Biology), PhD students and academic fellows, and network of Society members and associates.

When the Society was first established 140 years ago, it primarily catered to medical practitioners. Today, it represents a growing community of people who are committed to advancing the development and application of addiction science. In 2024, the Society was delighted to welcome to this community five new trustees (Professor Leonie Brose, Dr Sharon Cox, Dr Inge Kersbergen, Dr Louise Sell, and Dr Lucy Troup), two PhD students (Georgia Foote and Hollie Walker), and two academic fellows (Dr Tsen Vei Lim and Dr Elle Wadsworth).

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by Natalie Davies

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