The Italian Association on Addiction Psychiatry (SIPDip) is a special section of the Italian Psychiatric Association (SIP). It started, under the name of the Italian Association on Abuse and Addictive Behaviours (SICAD), in 1989 from the awareness that the addiction field had been starved of a psychiatrists' contribution since 1975. SIPDip aims to improve and implement study, clinical, research and educational topics about substance abuse and addictive behaviours. The National Board composition aims to provide an equal distribution of psychiatrists working in psychiatric and addiction facilities inside the National Health System, and private non-profit agencies. All psychiatrists and members of the Italian Psychiatric Association can become SIPDip ordinary members, while other health professionals working in psychiatric and addiction fields can become associate members. SIPDip has its National Congress every second year. In 2001 it promoted a network called the National Council of Addiction Disorders. It is recognized officially by the Drug Policy National Department and was created under the direct authority of the Prime Minister. In this, SIPDip is particularly involved in review groups relating to ethical issues, substitutive therapies and dual diagnosis. Furthermore, it organized the first Consensus Conference on Dual Diagnosis, under the sponsorship of the Italian Psychiatric Association. This was held in June 2003 to implement relevant national guidelines. The SIPDip main topics that will be addressed in the near future are: psychiatric comorbidity in substance related disorders; intervention efficacy assessment; and special populations and novel addictions. The National Board meeting on 15 December 2002 decided to submit to the General Assembly in April 2003, a motion to modify the Association's byelaws and to rename the organization 'The Italian Association of Addiction Psychiatry'.