Addiction Studies Program for State Legislators

描述(由申请人提供)： 全国各地的州立法者在没有科学专业知识来批判性地评估这些问题的情况下，正在就涉及药物滥用和成瘾的复杂问题做出艰难的政策决定。这些立法者通常没有学习与滥用和上瘾相关的科学的背景或机会。事实上，许多人并不知道预防或治疗药物滥用是有科学依据的。科学家们总体上并没有对这种情况有所帮助。科学发现是在不容易获得或理解的期刊上发表的，科学家往往无法以普通读者能够理解的方式展示他们的知识。因此，与基于科学基础的政策辩论不同，它们往往是政治性的，也很容易受到特殊利益的影响。 我们相信这种情况是可以纠正的。在过去四年中，成瘾研究方案将来自基础和应用领域的精心挑选的药物滥用科学家聚集在一起，向来自电子和印刷媒体的总共100多名记者提供有关滥用和成瘾的准确科学信息。在为期两天的研讨会期间，讲座伴随着充分的人际互动和关于公众关注的具体问题的现有科学信息的详细讨论。 记者们对这些信息的接受度很高。与会者制作了一本书，大量的报纸和杂志文章，广播和电视节目，以及一个电影剧本。现在，我们与治疗研究所和州立法者全国委员会合作，提议在未来五年内扩展和定制这一研讨会方法，以教育至少100名州立法者。这些讲习班将使现有的科学信息与立法者面临的重要政策问题相匹配，并将包括对这些努力的影响进行评估。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): State legislators throughout this country are making difficult policy decisions about complex issues involving drug abuse and addiction without the scientific expertise to critically evaluate these issues. These legislators typically do not have the background or opportunity to learn the science pertinent to abuse and addiction. Indeed, many are unaware that there is a scientific basis for preventing or treating drug abuse. Scientists have generally not helped the situation. Scientific findings are presented in journals that are not easily accessible or understandable, and scientists are often not able to present their knowledge in ways lay audiences can grasp. As a result, instead of policy debates proceeding from a scientific base, they tend to be political in nature, and much susceptible to special interest influences as well. We believe this situation is correctable. During the past four years the Addiction Studies Program has brought carefully selected drug abuse scientists from basic and applied areas together to present accurate scientific information about abuse and addiction to audiences that now total over 100 journalists from the electronic and print media. In the course of a two-day workshop, lectures are paired with ample interpersonal interaction and detailed discussion of the available scientific information on specific issues of public concern. The journalists have been very receptive to the information. Attendees have produced a book, numerous newspaper and magazine articles, radio and television shows about addiction, and a movie script. Now, in partnership with the Treatment Research Institute and the National Council of State Legislators, we propose to extend and tailor this workshop approach to educate at least 100 state legislators over the next five years. These workshops will match available scientific information to the important policy questions facing legislators and will include an evaluation of the impact of those efforts.