ECNP consensus meeting March 2003 guidelines for the investigation of efficacy in substance use disorders.

Until recently, addiction was often perceived as representing some kind of immoral behaviour on the part of psychologically immature individuals with a marked tendency towards criminality. The recognition that addiction is a mental disorder was assisted by the introduction of a substance use disorders section in the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders (DSMIII) (American Psychiatric Association, 1980). The description makes clear that addiction brepresents a clinically signifi-