About the Workshops
Every day substance abuse and drug addiction pervade the news. Every day scientists are making remarkable new discoveries about the ways addictive drugs affect the brain. Journalists need the latest scientific knowledge to write their best stories.

The Addiction Studies Program for Journalists is designed to give journalists the latest scientific information about addiction. The program conducts workshops not only to transmit this information but also to build relationships between journalists and addiction scientists.

The two-day workshops employ an interactive, problem-based format that engages the skills and knowledge of working journalists. Participants will have ample time to interact with program faculty -- internationally known scientists and others who have made important contributions to the drug-abuse research, treatment, prevention, and education fields. Faculty are drawn from Wake Forest University, Harvard University, Emory University, Columbia University, Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Illinois, University of Utah, University of Pennsylvania, University of California at Los Angeles, University of California at Berkeley, University of Miami, New York University, University of Washington, Temple University, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, and other research institutions.

• Journalists who want to give an extra edge to their stories and set themselves apart from competitors
• Journalists who want to understand why addicts can't stop using drugs
• Journalists looking for new approaches to stories
• Journalists seeking information about how drugs change the brain and change behavior.

• An intensive introduction to the scientific basis of addiction, including neurobiology, neuropharmacology, genetics, and drug treatment
• Information about the latest advances in the field of drug-abuse research
• Story ideas -- both short-term and long-term
• Ways to deal with the constant flow of information -- and misinformation -- about drug abuse and addiction
• Ways to better convey accurate information so readers or viewers can make better decisions about drug policy
• A bank of resources for future reference via the Program's Internet resource center. The center will include reviews of important scientific papers, demographic and epidemiological data, and valuable links to other reliable sources of information. It also includes a password accessible area that contains a list of scientists who can serve as expert sources, as well as a discussion forum for journalists and scientists.