EDITORIAL

Margarita Antonia Villar Luis Ph.D
Editor-in-Chief

It is not easy to present a new journal to the public, and this task becomes even harder when most readers are academics or colleagues from the health area, who certainly have high expectations for this information vehicle. This level of expectations partially result from the fact that this project was idealized by the Department of Psychiatric Nursing and Human Sciences (DEPCH) from the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing, WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing Research Development. In Brazil , this Department is renowned for its tradition and recognized among its peers for its initiatives in mental health and, more recently, in alcohol and drugs.

Imbued with its characteristic innovative spirit, the DEPCH launches the first edition of SMAD – Electronic Journal on Mental Health, Alcohol and Drugs, in an attempt to contribute to professionals from health and related areas by disseminating the produced knowledge and favoring a multiprofessional focus on the themes it discusses. SMAD also hopes to make it easier to exchange and debate ideas, stimulating the integration between mental health, alcohol and drugs professionals in Brazil , Portuguese-speaking Countries and the Americas.

The choice for an electronic journal followed a global tendency of broad and rapid knowledge availability, besides greater interactiveness between readers and editors.

At first, the Journal will be issued twice a year. We are very much aware of the challenges and the long road that lies ahead to become a consolidated scientific publication. The stimulation of colleagues and the enthusiasm of the editorial team are very supportive aspects in the success of this undertaking.

In this first edition, articles on alcohol and drugs illustrate the wide range of study areas and discussions. They shift from a critical-social analysis and understand the term ‘drugs' as a sociolinguistic construct, permeated by myths that support the control and social regulation of people. Furthermore, they show studies in community groups and caregivers and researchers' activities, without ignoring inherent ethical aspects.

Studies on mental health discuss interpersonal relations, a theme that is always proper in view of its importance in care humanization, specifically in terms of nursing care. Likewise, the study on suicide attempts among adolescents at emergency services highlights difficulties for reaching this diagnosis, due to the prejudices surrounding this health problem, as well as nurses' actions involving this client.

Dear reader, welcome to SMAD. We hope this reading provides you with a combination of knowledge and satisfaction and invite you to participate. Please send us your studies, comments and suggestions and help us to disseminate this Journal among your colleagues.