Pharmacists’ Roles in the Identification, Prevention and Treatment of Substance Use Disorders

Dear Colleagues,

Substance misuse refers to hazardous or addictive use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, and heroin), and prescription medications (e.g., opioids, gabapentinoids, and benzodiazepines). The DSM-5 classifies these as substance use disorders (addictions) and substance-induced disorders (intoxication/withdrawal). Substance misuse contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality, exacerbating conditions like HIV, hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and respiratory disease. It also impacts workplaces through reduced productivity, absenteeism, and safety risks. Prescription drug misuse is prevalent across age groups, and dependence on prescription drugs can be challenging to identify and manage. Pharmacists play critical roles in prevention, education, and treatment. Their medication expertise positions them to identify substance use disorders, counsel patients, and ensure safe medication distribution. Pharmacists can improve treatment access and outcomes for affected individuals across pharmacy sectors of community, secondary, and primary care.

We invite you to share your approaches and successes on the pharmacists’ role in addressing substance use disorders. We welcome submissions of all types, including original research, brief reports of original research, reviews, and short communications. In addition, we welcome the submission of resident or trainee research projects that focused on substance use services. We hope that this Special Issue will inspire other stewards and practitioners to share their own practices, adopt new approaches, and innovate to advance the prevention and treatment of substance use problems.

Prof. Dr. Catriona Matheson
Guest Editor

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