The con-dition is characterized by a high degree of mental disorders comorbidity. Treatment rates are generally low, and those who enter treatment, oftentimes do not get appropriate treatment. These facts leave open major possibilities for early intervention, primary inhibitor licensed and secondary prevention programs at both the level of the general population and the level of specific risk groups. In order to develop sustainable policies on the substance abuse issue, country-specific reports are quintessential. Against this, substance abuse research in Belgium is relatively scarce, too scarce to provide sufficient evidence for informing policy makers as to how, when, or where to (re)allocate financial resources for substance abuse treatment and prevention.

We need a better understanding of specific substance abuse patterns, age differences, short- and long-term effects of mere use, misuse, abuse, and dependence. For these reasons, among others, policy makers need to be attentive for the (re)allocation of financial resources that must be devoted in order to install and maintain a long-term substance abuse policy.
It is now obvious, in Belgium as in other industrialised countries that the economy has entered into a recession. This crisis has occurred in a context that WHO judges alarming. The last report of WHO denounces inequalities in access to care during this time of recession [1]. WHO is concerned about the impact of the crisis on people’s health. Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO, said that it would not be surprising to observe an increase in the prevalence of stress, suicide and mental disorders (speech of the twenty-third Forum on Global Issues Berlin Germany, 18 March 2009).

Yet, some economic studies conducted during previous periods of crisis nuance alarmist generated results showing that recession might have a positive impact on the health of the populations. Could the economic crisis be good for your health? Surprisingly, the loss of income caused by an economic crisis may have beneficial effects on health in the short term. Indeed, some studies have found that for instance if people have more time and less money, they tend to smoke less, exercise more and prepare their own meals. Christopher Ruhm, an economist, published an article in 2000 [2] where he presents a historical analysis of the 1970s and 1980s.

He demonstrates that in the United States, the periods of recession are associated with a significant reduction in mortality except mortality from suicide. Emile Durkheim, a French sociologist, has also found that suicide increases Cilengitide during difficult economic conditions [3]. These results can be explained by the ‘inhibition effect’. This effect has been attributed to attempts by those who fear job loss to become more like the ideal employee. Accident trauma, particularly that in the workplace, may also decrease in times of reduced production.