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Secretaria Regional da Saúde e Segurança Social
Regional Government steps up support for Alternativa Association and highlights progress in fight against new synthetic drugs
Regional Government steps up support for Alternativa Association and highlights progress in fight against new synthetic drugs
Secretaria Regional da Saúde e Segurança Social
Mónica Seidi highlights increased prevention of addictive behaviours in schools
Mónica Seidi highlights increased prevention of addictive behaviours in schools
Secretaria Regional da Saúde e Segurança Social
Mónica Seidi announces that Regional Drug Observatory will begin to take shape later this year
Mónica Seidi announces that Regional Drug Observatory will begin to take shape later this year
May 7, 2026
Regional Government steps up support for Alternativa Association and highlights progress in fight against new synthetic drugs
December 16, 2025
Mónica Seidi highlights increased prevention of addictive behaviours in schools
June 4, 2025
Mónica Seidi announces that Regional Drug Observatory will begin to take shape later this year
News
Nota de Imprensa
May 7, 2026
Regional Government steps up support for Alternativa Association and highlights progress in fight against new synthetic drugs
The Regional Secretary for Health and Social Security, Mónica Seidi, visited Alternativa – Association Against Addictions, in Ponta Delgada, where she highlighted the vital role played by civil society organisations in the integrated response to addictive behaviours and dependencies in the Autonomous Region of the Azores. During the visit, the Regional Secretariat for Health and Social Security and the association signed a financial cooperation agreement amounting to €30,000, with a view to establishing the Centre for Health and Wellbeing Promotion. As of 2025, the Alternativa Association supported about 300 service users, mainly in the area of treatment monitoring following discharge from the detox programme, reinforcing its role in ensuring ongoing care and supporting the reintegration process. Mónica Seidi emphasised that “this investment reflects the Azorean Government’s commitment to a personalised, accessible and effective response, which prioritises not only treatment but also social reintegration and human dignity." The government official also highlighted recent legislative progress nationwide, with the enactment of the legislation updating the Drugs Act, paving the way for the criminalisation of new psychoactive substances. Among these is NEP, one of the most widely consumed synthetic substances in the Azores, whose inclusion in the legal charts represents a significant step in protecting public health and strengthening the tools to combat emerging drugs. The Regional Secretary commended the work carried out by the Azores Task Force, highlighting the crucial role of this body in timely reporting. Mónica Seidi concluded by reiterating the Regional Government’s commitment to further strengthening its collaboration with local institutions and promoting responses that are increasingly tailored to the needs of the population.
May 7, 2026
Regional Government steps up support for Alternativa Association and highlights progress in fight against new synthetic drugs
The Regional Secretary for Health and Social Security, Mónica Seidi, visited Alternativa – Association Against Addictions, in Ponta Delgada, where she highlighted the vital role played by civil society organisations in the integrated response to addictive behaviours and dependencies in the Autonomous Region of the Azores. During the visit, the Regional Secretariat for Health and Social Security and the association signed a financial cooperation agreement amounting to €30,000, with a view to establishing the Centre for Health and Wellbeing Promotion. As of 2025, the Alternativa Association supported about 300 service users, mainly in the area of treatment monitoring following discharge from the detox programme, reinforcing its role in ensuring ongoing care and supporting the reintegration process. Mónica Seidi emphasised that “this investment reflects the Azorean Government’s commitment to a personalised, accessible and effective response, which prioritises not only treatment but also social reintegration and human dignity." The government official also highlighted recent legislative progress nationwide, with the enactment of the legislation updating the Drugs Act, paving the way for the criminalisation of new psychoactive substances. Among these is NEP, one of the most widely consumed synthetic substances in the Azores, whose inclusion in the legal charts represents a significant step in protecting public health and strengthening the tools to combat emerging drugs. The Regional Secretary commended the work carried out by the Azores Task Force, highlighting the crucial role of this body in timely reporting. Mónica Seidi concluded by reiterating the Regional Government’s commitment to further strengthening its collaboration with local institutions and promoting responses that are increasingly tailored to the needs of the population.
Nota de Imprensa
December 16, 2025
Mónica Seidi highlights increased prevention of addictive behaviours in schools
The Regional Secretary for Health and Social Security, Mónica Seidi, visited today the Tomás de Borba School in Angra do Heroísmo, where she attended a session on the prevention of addictive behaviour in schools. Mónica Seidi emphasised that this initiative stems from joint and coordinated action between the Regional Directorate for Health, the Regional Directorate for Education, the Regional Directorate for Prevention and Control of Dependencies, the Public Security Police's "Safe School" project and the "Haja Saúde" team from "Casa do Povo de Santa Bárbara" (social solidarity institution). On the occasion, she highlighted the importance of joint work to reflect on the different types of psychoactive substances. The government official also added that there is a schedule of actions defined for all islands in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, ensuring coordination between School Health teams and addiction prevention teams, in compliance with the Regional School Health Programme. "We have been implementing specific measures in this area, although we recognise that there is still a long way to go," stated Mónica Seidi. In this regard, she highlighted the increase in human resources allocated to prevention and the creation of a prevention centre on the island of São Miguel, where this phenomenon is most prevalent. The Regional Secretary also stressed that the aim is to ensure that young people are properly informed, allowing them to make conscious and responsible decisions that will have a positive impact throughout their lives. The planned actions cover a range of topics, including the consumption of legal and illegal psychoactive substances, alcohol, smoking, new psychoactive substances, and non-substance addictions. On Terceira Island, this project is being developed in collaboration with the "Haja Saúde" team from Casa do Povo de Santa Bárbara, and in 2025 alone, more than 100 actions have already been carried out in the island's two municipalities, targeting 5th to 12th-grade students. Throughout this academic year, school health teams from the Island Health Units, together with prevention teams and the Public Security Police, will work in a coordinated manner across the archipelago, ensuring a structured and effective intervention in promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing risk behaviours.
December 16, 2025
Mónica Seidi highlights increased prevention of addictive behaviours in schools
The Regional Secretary for Health and Social Security, Mónica Seidi, visited today the Tomás de Borba School in Angra do Heroísmo, where she attended a session on the prevention of addictive behaviour in schools. Mónica Seidi emphasised that this initiative stems from joint and coordinated action between the Regional Directorate for Health, the Regional Directorate for Education, the Regional Directorate for Prevention and Control of Dependencies, the Public Security Police's "Safe School" project and the "Haja Saúde" team from "Casa do Povo de Santa Bárbara" (social solidarity institution). On the occasion, she highlighted the importance of joint work to reflect on the different types of psychoactive substances. The government official also added that there is a schedule of actions defined for all islands in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, ensuring coordination between School Health teams and addiction prevention teams, in compliance with the Regional School Health Programme. "We have been implementing specific measures in this area, although we recognise that there is still a long way to go," stated Mónica Seidi. In this regard, she highlighted the increase in human resources allocated to prevention and the creation of a prevention centre on the island of São Miguel, where this phenomenon is most prevalent. The Regional Secretary also stressed that the aim is to ensure that young people are properly informed, allowing them to make conscious and responsible decisions that will have a positive impact throughout their lives. The planned actions cover a range of topics, including the consumption of legal and illegal psychoactive substances, alcohol, smoking, new psychoactive substances, and non-substance addictions. On Terceira Island, this project is being developed in collaboration with the "Haja Saúde" team from Casa do Povo de Santa Bárbara, and in 2025 alone, more than 100 actions have already been carried out in the island's two municipalities, targeting 5th to 12th-grade students. Throughout this academic year, school health teams from the Island Health Units, together with prevention teams and the Public Security Police, will work in a coordinated manner across the archipelago, ensuring a structured and effective intervention in promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing risk behaviours.