The project “Addicted to Life” presents an international information campaign for prevention and reduction of risks associated with amphetamines use. It is co-financed by the Directorate-General Justice, Freedom and Security of the European Commission and involves organizations from four European countries:

• Initiative for Health Foundation, Sofia, Bulgaria
• International Healthcare and Health Insurance Institute, Sofia Bulgaria
• Actions for Citizenship and Health Education - A.C.C.E.S., Marseille, France
• Healthy Options Project Skopje - H.O.P.S., Skopje, Macedonia
• Blue Point Drug Counseling and Outpatient Center, Budapest, Hungary

The partners cooperate with each other and with other relevant agencies in order to create a number of informational products, providing clear and understandable message on amphetamine use directed to users, professionals, non-professionals who are affected by the problem and general society. The project will rely on innovative and creative approach of cooperation with media – journalists from four countries will be trained and motivated to develop the amphetamine use topic in their work in a proper and constructive manner.

The project concept came as a need for response to the growing problem of amphetamine use in Europe, and especially Eastern Europe in last years, accompanied by the deficiency of information and interventions, addressing the issue of amphetamines.

The idea arose in Bulgaria as a common view of one harm reduction and one media organizations, united by the concept of finding appropriate channels to address society with appropriate information on drugs. On the basis of good previous working relationships in European dimension, three other organizations specialized in harm reduction and/or drug interventions joined the idea.

The project has two overall objectives:

• To contribute to the improvement of information on drug use among affected communities, medical and social care staff, NGOs, media, state and municipal institutions.
• To prevent and reduce the amphetamine and ecstasy use, the dependence and drug-related harms among young adults (15-34) in four European countries

More specifically the project aims:

• To increase the collaboration between the NGOs and the media in the field of prevention and reduction of risks and harms associated with the amphetamines use
• To involve the media more actively in informing the general society about the risks and harms associated with the use of amphetamines and ecstasy
• To increase the knowledge of the health journalists about the amphetamines use and all associated risks
• To improve the quality of the information about the amphetamines and their use as well as all associated health risks in the media
• To raise awareness among the experimental and recreational drug users (mostly young adults) about the health risks and the harms associated with amphetamines.

INFORMATION MATERIALS