Enhancement of Biostatistics Education Doctoral Program in Public Health: Collaboration between Ilia State University and Yale University.
Yale University, which is one of the oldest Ivy League universities in the United States, boasting a rich history spanning 300 years embarks on a collaborative endeavor between Ilia University and Yale University, made possible through a 5-year project funded by Fogarty International and the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH).On June 19, 2023, the Alternative Georgia office was visited by German colleagues who are interested in implementing a machine to distribute HIV prevention materials in Berlin. On June 14, 2023, at the final event of EMCDDA4GE, Irma Kirtadze, the chief researcher of the Addiction Research Center, presented to the audience the results of the research conducted on the consumption of psychoactive substances among the general population of Georgia.On February 3, 2023, Irma Kirtadze, the chief researcher of the addiction research center "Alternative Georgia" and a professor at Ilia State University, spoke on the air of Radio Imedi about the dangers and prevention of the use of club drugs and other psychoactive substances. On December 14, 2022, the EECA INTERACT scientific workshop on the spread of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, and tuberculosis in Eastern Europe and Central Asia was held in Riga (Latvia). On December 10th, the Addiction Research Center Alternatives Georgia team held a workshop with oncologists on the potential use of cannabis-based medications in oncology in Georgia. During the meeting, oncologist Ioseb Abesadze presented an overview of the available scientific evidence for the use of medical cannabis in oncological practice.On December 9, representatives from Alternative Georgia held a workshop with experts in substitution therapy and harm reduction to create a how-to guide for managing drug addiction services during emergencies.On December 6, Mariam Sherozia, Assistant Researcher and Addictologist of Alternative Georgia, conducted a lecture on "Spiking" for students of 8-12th grade of Public School N130 in Tbilisi.The Addiction Research Center's Alternative Georgia's team on December 2-3 held a workshop with neurologists on cannabis-based medications. During the meeting, experts in the field reviewed various important issues. Neurologist Sofio Kasradze gave a presentation on the potential use of hemp-based medicines in neurology in Georgia. The main researcher of Alternative Georgia and professor of Ilia State University Irma Kirtadze presented the research results of the online market "Matanga" at the Lisbon Edition conference on November 23-25, 2022. Alternative Georgia’s research team has been monitoring "Matanga" for a year. The research aimed to study the behavioral patterns of purchasing drugs by Georgian consumers and the peculiarities of the online encrypted market.On November 25, Mariam Sherozia, assistant researcher of Alternative Georgia, talked about "Spiking", ways to prevent it, and global statistics on Radio Imedi. Spiking involves injecting a psychoactive substance into someone's body without their consent or by deception. On November 11, a meeting of the Association of Addictologists of Georgia was held at the "Ligamus" book house. The association unites masters, graduates, and professionals of addiction studies at Ilia State University. At the meeting, the head of the association Mr. Davit Otiashvili spoke about future plans and perspectives.Ilia State University and Artarea/Tv2.0 cover the cycle of programs "Dialogues on Psychoeducation" every Thursday. On November 3, in the fifteenth program in a row, Jana Javakhishvili talked to the professor of Ilia State University and the main researcher of Alternative Georgia - Irma Kirtadze. The conversation was about drug addiction treatment.On October 27, from 15:00 to 17:00, Alternative Georgia, with the financial support of the European Union, held an awareness day on the use of psychoactive substances, where experts answered questions from the audience (school students, teachers, parents, etc.) about alcohol, tobacco, and other psychoactive substances during a Facebook live. regarding substance use. A conference on Cannabis-based medicines was held in Basel, Switzerland on October 20-21. With the support of Alternative Georgia, oncologist Ioseb Abesadze and neurologist, epileptologist Sofio Kasradze attended the conference from Georgia.On October 16, Irma Kirtadze, associate professor of Ilia State University and chief researcher of Alternative Georgia, presented the preliminary results of a general population study on the use of psychoactive drugs and gambling at the World Psychiatric Association Congress. A full study report will be available soon.
Alternative Georgia’s researcher Tamar Mgebrishvili shared with the audience a study examining the impact of COVID-19 on drug use behavior. The publication, published in the Harm Reduction Journal, can be found here:
On October 15, the program of the 17th floor was broadcasted by Alternative Georgia researcher Tamar Mghebrishvili, together with her colleagues, talked about the risks of using fentanyl, the challenges of Georgia’s drug policy and ways to solve them.On October 13, the main researcher of Alternative Georgia and Doctor of Public Health Sciences Irma Kirtadze spoke to the eighth-grade students of Zaldastanishvili American Academy on the topic “Tobacco’s harm to health”.On October 8-9, Alternative Georgia held a workshop with representatives of the Drug Situation Monitoring Center, the Ministry of Justice, the Special Penitentiary Service, the Ministry of Health, the Parliamentary Health Committee, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the General Prosecutor’s Office and the court. The meeting was about the issue of alternative punishment for people convicted of drug crimes.On October 1-2, a meeting with the members of the protocol development advisory group was held in the framework of the EU-supported project "Care, Prevention and Human Rights" in the guest house Mtserlebi.Professor Müller-Vahl held the meeting for Georgian doctors and the general audience on the medical use of cannabinoids. Dr. Kirsten R. Müller-Vahl is a Professor of Psychiatry at the Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the Hannover University. She uses cannabinoids to treat severe forms of epilepsy, ADHD, and other diagnoses among her patients.
The event was organized on July 1st at Ilia State University.
The meeting was supported by Cannapedia, Addiction Research Center Alternative Georgia, and Open society Foundation.Alternative Georgia's team condemns Russia's aggressive actions and genocide against Ukraine. We express our support for the Ukrainian people and wish them peace.
In Georgia a survey of the general population was conducted in 2015 and currently, in 2022, being repeated. The study is funded by the European Union, specifically the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).DO YOU USE DRUGS?
EMCDDA launches 2021 European Web Survey on Drugs to assess patterns of drug use across 30 countries
(18.03.2021, LISBON) Do you use drugs? How many? How often? These are among the questions posed in the latest European Web Survey on Drugs, launched today by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA). Targeted at people, aged 18 and over, who have used drugs, the survey aims to improve understanding of patterns of drug use in Europe and help shape future drug policies and interventions (1).
International Cannabis Cultivation Questionnaire (ICCQ) was launched the first wave of this survey back in 2012. Thanks to the contribution of over 6500 growers around the world, researchers were able to publish more than 18 scientific papers which have helped challenge stereotypes of cannabis growers. The ICCQ is designed to study patterns of small-scale cannabis cultivation. The ICCQ was developed by members of the Global Cannabis Cultivation Research Consortium (GCCRC), which is comprised of researchers from around the world interested in a better understanding of domestic cannabis cultivation. Georgia joined the wave of this survey in 2020. Georgian version of the questionnaire was prepared by the Addiction Research Master Program of Ilia State University and Addiction Research Center - Alternative GeorgiaThere is fragmented information coming from the field workers of harm reduction programs and community representatives that the COVID-19 pandemic started to impact on illicit drug supply and drug consumption practices.Georgian Platform on Care developed accredited e-learning program of biopsychosocial approach in healthcare. Online course is already available for health care system specialists, medical students and other interested individuals.Ilia State University and Book house “Ligamus” hosted annual presentation of The Drug Situation in Georgia 2018.Research study findings were presented On 20th December at the office of Center for Training and Consultancy (CTC).European Ibogaine Forum 2019 was held on 5, 6 and 7th of December at Ilia State University. Event is organized by activist David Subeliani, Georgia Psychedelic Society, Ilia State University Master Program of Addiction Studies and Ibogaine For The World.On 2nd December 2019, “The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC)” conducted a training on “Current Drug Policy and Human Rights” with the participation of criminal lawyers.
