About CPDD, History & Mission

History

The College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD), formerly the Committee on Problems of Drug Dependence, has been in existence since 1929 and is the longest standing group in the United States addressing problems of drug use, misuse, and dependence. From 1929 until 1976, the CPDD was associated with the National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council. Since 1976, the organization has functioned as an independent body affiliated with other scientific and professional societies representing various disciplines concerned with problems of drug use, misuse, and  dependence. (For more information on our history, please click here for this published historical narrative.) In 1991, the CPDD evolved into a membership organization with the new name of College on Problems of Drug Dependence. Currently, CPDD has over 1,000 members. The organization serves as an interface among governmental, industrial and academic communities maintaining liaisons with regulatory and research agencies as well as educational, treatment, and prevention facilities in the filed of drug use, misuse and dependence.

Mission Statement

The mission of The College on Problems of Drug Dependence is to:  

  1. Promote excellence in research investigating substance use disorders. 
  2. Foster development of a broad range of scientists.
  3. Educate clinicians, scientists, and educators about the underpinnings of substance use disorders and potential treatment and prevention strategies.
  4. Advocate for the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based interventions for substance use disorders.
  5. Advocate the need for continued research and interventions to prevent, reduce and/or treat addictive diseases.
  6. Disseminate scientific knowledge regarding the basis of and interventions for substance use disorders in an accessible manner to policymakers and lay audiences in international and national forums.
  7. Promote inclusion and representation of underrepresented groups in CPDD meetings, committees, and leadership.
  8. Promote associations between academia, government agencies and private industry to advance scientific discoveries in substance use disorder and addictive diseases.

Vision Statement

The vision of The College on Problems of Drug Dependence is a world where substance use disorder is no longer a cause of stigma and human suffering.

Commitment to Diversity

The College and its members actively promote diversity and inclusion within the College and within our field not limited to race, ethnicity, religion, disability, age, sex, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation.

Core Values

  • A Diverse and Inclusive Culture
  • Collegiality
  • Compassion in Clinical Care
  • Integrity
  • Leadership and Service
  • Scientific Excellence and Discovery

Scientific & Professional Activities

The Annual Scientific Meeting: Since 1938, a major focus of the CPDD's activities has been its sponsorship of an annual scientific meeting. This conference serves as a forum bringing together basic scientists and clinical investigators from industry, academia, and government. Representatives of regulatory agencies, as well as scientists and professionals in a number of diverse disciplines interested in the biochemical, behavioral, and public health aspects of drug use, misuse, and dependence participate.

Special Conferences: Periodically, the College sponsors conferences focused on timely topics of interest to researchers, government, industry, and the public. In recent years, CPDD has organized meetings on Abuse Liability Assessment of CNS Drugs; Drug Formulation and Abuse Liability; Pre-Clinical Abuse Liability Testing; Women and Cigarette Smoking: Understanding Socioeconomic Influences; and Risk Management and Post-Marketing Surveillance for CNS-Acting Drugs.

Consultation Activities: The CPDD provides consulting expertise in the area of epidemiology, treatment, prevention, and all the basic and clinical sciences related to drug use, misues, dependence, and their behavioral and medical consequences.

Sponsorship of Drug & Alcohol Dependence: The CPDD sponsors the journals Drug and Alcohol Dependence and Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, published by Elsevier. A principal goal of the journals is to provide a source of quality, timely reports of scientific advances in substance use research. The journals are international in scope and interdisciplinary in coverage. The CPDD invites contributors.

Scientific & Professional Affiliations: The College on Problems of Drug Dependence has a liaison relationship with numerous scientific, professional, and governmental organizations, including Friends of NIDA.