About the conference
On 11 November 2023, “One Gram of Life” held its Second National Conference on the prevention of drug use. The event brought together specialists, institutions, the education system, local authorities, non-governmental organizations, parents and civic initiatives.
Personal stories shared by participants were a particularly powerful focus. They gave the issues a human dimension and showed how important early response, information and support are.
Guest speakers
Milena Petrova — addictions therapist, certified instructor in the “Parent Effectiveness Training”, “Teacher Effectiveness Training” and “Youth Effectiveness Training” programs, co-founder of the “Only Today” therapeutic center and chair of the board of the “For Life” Foundation.
Sirma Georgieva — psychotherapist and addictions specialist, leader of addiction rehabilitation programs.
Institutional participation
The conference included representatives of national and local institutions, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Interior, Members of Parliament, mayors and municipal councillors, Regional Departments of Education, Municipal Councils on Narcotic Substances, child protection structures, school principals, NGOs, experts, parents, public figures and business representatives.
Key topics and challenges
- The lack of sufficiently effective primary prevention aimed at parents.
- Risks facing children and the limited response options available to families and specialists.
- The need for rehabilitation centers for minors.
- The shortage of psychiatrists and specialized professionals in the country.
- The scale of experimentation with and use of psychoactive substances among adolescents.
- The need for a national study and better coordination among the institutions involved.
- Effective approaches to early prevention among children and young people.
After the conference
Some institutions made concrete commitments for follow-up meetings and future cooperation. The goal is to develop the initiative into a sustainable early-prevention model that brings together family, school, specialists, institutions and civil society.