By offering a comparative international perspective on addiction work, social workers and other addiction practitioners are able to reflect on the most effective practices in the field. Culturally relevant treatment practices are important to effectively helping individuals overcome their addictions. In the first article, the author reviews factors affecting substance abuse treatment in the United States and their relevance to social work practice. She argues that five main factors have affected substance abuse treatment in the United States: the war on drugs, managed health care, advancements in research and treatment technologies, faith-based groups offering substance abuse services, and the involvement of social workers in the treatment of substance abuse. The second article examines policy and service responses to substance abuse problems in Ireland, with a focus on the role of professional social work in the management of addiction. The third article examines Dutch drug policy and its implications for social workers, while the fourth article presents major trends in drug and alcohol consumption in Germany and outlines the role of social workers in substance abuse treatment efforts. The fifth article discusses the current role of social work in the treatment of substance abuse in Israel. The implications for the profession of social work are explored, as is the training requirements of its practitioners. The sixth article presents an overview of the drug and alcohol control and treatment policies in Singapore, while the seventh article explores cultural, ethnicity, and migration issues regarding the abuse of alcohol and other drugs by immigrants from the former Soviet Union who have settled in Israel, Germany, and the United States since the 1980’s. A panel discussion on the legalization of drugs is offered under the subtitle of Special Topics. Perspectives from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia are presented for this controversial topic. The underlying issue is that different countries have responded in different ways to the phenomenal growth of problematic substance abuse. The lack of success achieved by law enforcement is a common theme in the panel discussion. Overall, the compilation of articles and discussion presented in this edition underscore the importance of social work in the treatment of addiction. References