Since 1981, APSAD has been bringing together diverse perspectives in relation to research, policy, and practice from across the AOD sector to share, discuss, and present on evidence-based issues.

The first annual meeting of the Society was held at the Australian National University, Canberra, 31 July to 1 August 1981. The intention was to be primarily a medically-oriented organisation established to meet the needs of medical scientists and practitioners, and endeavour to attract a broad medical membership from individuals who had a scientific or professional interest in alcohol and drug related problems, their prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

The Society recognised early on that scientists and practitioners from other disciplines would make important contributions to such a Society, bringing a major change in focus during the first 10 years of the Society’s existence, and accepting non-medical professionals as full members. This made the society a truly multidisciplinary organisation representing all professionals involved in the drug and alcohol field.

The APSAD Conference provides an opportunity for networking and ideas sharing in a friendly and informal atmosphere with a cross-section of AOD workers; practitioners, researchers, peer workers, consumers, and policymakers. The conference also contributes to building capacity and capability in AOD by providing opportunities for engagement and learnings from early to mid career, and more experienced researchers and clinicians.

There is a vast amount of untapped experience and knowledge within our membership base. We encourage you to share your clinical, research, and policy expertise which will contribute significantly to the conference.

We hope you will join us in celebrating how far we have come as a multidisciplinary sector and to guide the direction we need to travel together.