In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr Tesfa Yimer, a postdoctoral researcher at the National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, Australia. The interview covers Tesfa’s research article taking a regional perspective on substance use related problems in Ethiopia.

The importance of examining drug-related problems in Ethiopia [01:00]
Commonly consumed drugs in Ethiopia [01:51]
Khat and its use in Ethiopia [02:50]
The prevalence of Khat [04:08]
The relationship between religion and drug use [04:41]
The emerging drug-related concerns in Ethiopia [06:05]
The transit routes in Ethiopia that make it stand out in East Africa [08:52]
The substance use disorder treatment landscape in Ethiopia [09:44]
The regulation of tobacco, alcohol, khat and cannabis [11:15]
The major research gaps in Ethiopia with regards to drug use [13:19]
The take home messages [14:56]

About Elle Wadsworth: Elle is an academic fellow with the Society for the Study of Addiction. She is based at the University of Bath with the Addiction and Mental Health Group and her research interests include drug policy, cannabis legalisation, and public health. Elle holds a voluntary role at The Loop, a non-profit service provider of drug checking in the UK.

About Tesfa Yimer: Tesfa is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, Australia. Tesfa’s research is focused on addiction epidemiology and drug policy. His research aims to generate evidence-informed policy recommendations to reduce substance-related harms and improve public health outcomes. Tesfa is currently working to understand the social and public health impacts of cannabis policies.

Declarations of interest: None

Original article: Regional perspectives: Substance use related problems in Ethiopia https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70392

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