The Society for the Study of Addiction (SSA)

FRANÇAIS :
Fondée en 1884, cette Société savante, organisation indépendante, regroupe, en 2003, 478 membres actifs. Ses centres d'intérêts sont multidisciplinaires dans le champ des addictions : de la biologie, la physiologie, les sciences sociales à la prise en charge, au travail social, aux aspects de justice et de criminalité. Ses membres sont des chercheurs, des praticiens ou des décideurs politiques issus des diverses disciplines. La Société est éditrice des revues Addiction et Addiction Biology et organise un symposium annuel.
ENGLISH :
The Society for the Study of Addiction (SSA) is a learned society which is a company limited by guarantee with charitable status, an independent organization promoting the cause of research, public policy and treatment of addiction. Founded in London in 1884 with the aim of promoting a research-based understanding of inebriety it is the oldest society of its kind. The pursuit and enhancement of evidence-based policy and treatment informed its work in the early days and has remained its organizing principle throughout its history. Led initially by medical political interests, the Society has grown to encompass a broader disciplinary base, reflecting the expansion of interest in addiction from biological, psychological and social science into nursing, social work, probation, other arms of criminal justice work and voluntary sector professionals. Today its membership is made up of researchers, practitioners and policy makers from all these disciplines, the majority of whom reside and work in the United Kingdom; its international membership makes up nearly one-third of the total membership and there are current endeavours to expand collaboration with other national societies in the field. Its activities are focused upon the Society journals, Addiction and Addiction Biology, other publishing activities, the annual symposium and a number of policy initiatives. (Author' s abstract)