Society for the Study of Addiction

The SSA’s aims are to add to and promote the scientific understanding of addiction and problems related to it, and to advocate the use of the evidence-base in policy and practice.

The SSA was originally named The Society for the Study and Cure of Inebriety and was founded in 1884 by Dr Norman Kerr who was the first president.[2][3] It was originally restricted to qualified practitioners and was established in response to the 1879 Habitual Drunkards Act. The word "Cure" was dropped from the title in 1887, and it was renamed the Society for the Study of Addiction to Alcohol and other Drugs in 1946.[2][4] The organisation lifted the restriction on membership in 1959.[2]

In 1884 the SSA started publishing the "British Journal of Inebriety", which became the "British Journal of Addiction" before changing to "Addiction".

The SSA supports the publication of two academic journals, Addiction and Addiction Biology. Addiction publishes peer-reviewed research reports on pharmacological and behavioural addictions, bringing together research conducted within many different disciplines. Its goal is to serve international and interdisciplinary scientific and clinical communication, to strengthen links between science and policy and to stimulate and enhance the quality of debate.[5] Addiction Biology focuses on neuroscience contributions which aim at advancing the understanding of aspects on the action of drugs of abuse and addictive processes.[6]

The SSA’s academic funding schemes and prizes support addiction researchers throughout their careers. Project funding is given to support the dissemination of research findings or the convening of a group to review work in a particular area or geographic location to produce material for dissemination. The SSA funds professorships, academic fellowships, PhD studentships, Post-doctoral transitional development initiatives, bursaries and travelling scholarships.

The Fred Yates prize is awarded annually to an early career researcher who has made a significant and specific contribution to the addictions field in recent years. Previous winners include: Dr Gemma Taylor, Dr Hamid Noori, Dr Kyla Thomas, Dr Andrew McAuley, Dr Leonie Brose, Dr Jamie Brown, Dr Frances Kay-Lambkin, Dr Jaime Delgadillo, Dr Jodie Trafton and Dr Simon Adamson.[7]

The Impact Prize is also awarded annually and recognises the contribution that the winner has made to influencing policy or practice in addiction. Previous winners include Dr Magdalena Harris and Dr Sarah Jackson.

Membership is open to UK and international applications from practitioners, researchers and policymakers with an appropriate academic or professional qualification or experience in the addiction field.[8] The SSA offers a reduced student, and concessionary membership. Members receive the SSA journals free of charge.

The SSA’s conference has been running since 1985 and has been an annual event since 2005. The conference is for to members and non-members and typically runs across 2 days. Each year includes a society lecture from a leader in the field of addictions; this lecture has previously been given by Professor Colin Drummond, Dr Antoni Gual, Professor Louisa Degenhardt, Professor Wayne Hall, Dr Thomas McLellan, Professor Robert West, Dr Bruce Ritson, Dr Barbara McCrady and Professor Sally Casswell.

• Official website