1. The Society shall be named the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM), (hereafter referred to as “The Society”).
Its present headquarters are in Calgary, Canada.
The Society is an international, non-political, not-for-profit organization governed in accordance with its Constitution.
The International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) is an international society of physicians committed to the advancement of the following:
We hope to address the following issues by means of our joint efforts:
Additional goals may be chosen by the Board of Directors and the General Assembly.
To achieve its objectives the Society will provide for:
(a) The organization of:
(b) The establishment and maintenance of relations with international, regional, national and local organizations whose activities are in conformity with the objectives and the activities of the Society
c) The organizing of regional and national offices such as the Board of Directors may decide
d) The maintenance of a central office to function primarily as a co-ordination agency and information centre
The original text of the constitution is in English.
The Board of Directors shall have the competence to draw up by-laws governing the affairs of the Society and shall have the competence to
draw up guidelines concerning international meetings. The by-laws are subject to the approval of the majority of the membership present at a duly constituted meeting. Any legal dispute which might occur between the Society and its members will be dealt with as prescribed by the By-laws of the Society.
Admission of members: Membership shall be open to all physicians whose aims and activities coincide, or are directly connected with the Society’s objectives. Application for membership has to be made in writing. The Board of Directors may select members from other disciplines as non-voting associate members in recognition of a special contribution to the field of addiction.
The Board of Directors shall have the power to refuse membership without Refusal of giving any explanation for its decision. An appeal process will be Membership delineated in the By-laws.
Membership can be suspended or terminated by the Board of Directors Suspension of with a vote of absolute majority.
An Appeal process will be delineated in the By-laws.
Members who wish to resign their membership with the Society Resignation must give written notice to that effect before the end
of the fiscal year covered by the subscription.
The full membership of physicians and other classes of membership will be delineated in the By -laws.
Those members whose membership is terminated, or who resign, will lose all membership rights.
The governing bodies of the Society shall be:
A. the General Assembly
B. the Board of Directors
The matter of agenda setting and quorum will be delineated in the By- laws of the Society.
B. The Board of Directors:
(a) to determine guidelines and general policy of the Society,
– to approve the report of activities
– to control the finances of the Society
These decisions are to be approved by the General Assembly:
(b) to pronounce on membership applications and suspensions from membership
(c) to designate persons who shall have the authorization to sign on behalf of the Society
(d) to appoint permanent sections or ad hoc committees
(e) to rule on requests to set up committees, sections or study groups and to determine the rights and obligations of such bodies
The matter of deliberations and quorum will be outlined in the By-laws.
The Board of Directors may form standing or ad hoc committees and Committees may invite any member of the Society to participate.An Advisory Council of Organizations will maintain communication with national organizations and report to the Board of Directors. The Committees formed, the deliberation process and the quorum required will be outlined in the By-laws.
Officers of the Society will include a President, Vice-Presidents, Secretary-Treasurer and other officers as delineated from time to time by the By-laws. Officers terms of office will be delineated by the By-laws.
Any alterations of the Constitution shall require previous electronic or written notice to all full members at least sixty days before the General Constitution Assembly which will decide thereon. The quorum and majority required will be identified in the By-laws
Dissolution of the Society shall not be decided upon before written notice has been given to all full members at least sixty days before the meeting of the General Assembly and shall need the approval of two-thirds of all full members. The Board of Directors shall be responsible for the dissolution of the Society and disposition of its assets in conformity with its obligations.
The present temporary Constitution shall come into force immediately upon its adoption by the General Assembly.