Increasing Awareness and Understanding of Problematic Substance Use Reducing Alcohol-Related Harms Addressing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Preventing the Problematic Use of Pharmaceuticals Addressing Enforcement Issues Sustaining Workforce Development Implementing a National Research Agenda and Facilitating Knowledge Transfer Improving the quality, accessibility and range of options to treat harmful substance use including substance use disorders (Treatment) Modernizing Legislative, Regulatory and Policy Frameworks Focusing on Children and Youth Reaching Out to Canada’s North Supporting First Nations, Inuit and Métis People in Addressing Their Needs Responding to Offender-Related Issues Raising Public Awareness About Addictions: Creating Momentum for Action National Alcohol Policy Thematic Workshop National Thematic Workshop on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Preventing the Harmful Use of Psychotropic Pharmaceuticals National Thematic Workshop on Enforcement Police and Policing Partners: Supply Management and Demand Reduction Workforce Development Thematic Workshop National Thematic Workshop on Research National Thematic Workshop on Improving the Quality, Accessibility, and Range of Options to Treat Harmful Substance Use Including Substance Use Disorders (Treatment) National Thematic Workshop on Corrections National Symposium on Language

Modernizing Legislative, Regulatory and Policy Frameworks

The relationship between legislative, regulatory, and policy frameworks and the provision of effective responses to prevent or reduce the harms associated with alcohol and other drugs and substances cannot be underestimated.  Canadian and international law can have both positive and negative impacts on the provision of effective responses to the harms associated with problematic substance use. The extent to which current policies or legal frameworks are reflective of and adequately address existing and emerging alcohol, other drug and substance issues and concerns is critical. Systematic, ongoing review of the benefits and potential adverse consequences associated with Canadian and international policies and frameworks is needed to strengthen Canada's ability to both establish its own effective responses and influence the modernization of international policies and legal frameworks. 

Update

Discussions are ongoing on how to approach this priority issue.