Dear colleagues of the Alcohol and Temperance History Group

It gives me great pleasure to  become your president for the next two years,
and to join such a line of fine scholars  in holding this position. I am
greatly honoured.

Unfortunately a variety of circumstances conspired against my attendance at 
the
meeting. I remember well the previous two International conferences, and it is
a shame indeed to miss this one.  I shall miss meeting with friends and
colleagues I have known for  more than 20 years. I will also be missing 
meeting
new people who are entering in the field. That much to be discussed is of
relevance to my teaching responsibilities over the next two or three years
makes my absence even more discomforting to me.

As I am so far away, with few opportunities these days to visit North 
America,
I see my main function at the ATHG as making suggestions for debate­in this
case over the goals, functions, and future of the society of which we are 
part.
None of the things I am suggesting is meant to be taken as more than a
suggestion for discussion.

These issues will, I hope be discussed at the meeting you are having. Given 
the
focus of the conference on a variety of drugs, not just on alcohol and
temperance, it is appropriate to discuss whether we should in some way seek to
broaden our agenda, But it would be important  that we do not let go of
successful traditions that are firmly established  just for the sake of it. 
The
membership ought to accept  any changes as part of a consensus or not at all.

My aims for the next two years will be

1) to try to internationalise the membership and organization somewhat more
2) to encourage people in related drug fields to join, and to contribute to 
the
LISTSERV
3) to develop the journal on line but without at this stage abandoning the
print version (since this is a transition phase for libraries and hard copy is
still more important for promotion etc)
4) to try to showcase the work of our members more broadly through either the
proposed book series on alcohol or in the AHR or other forums.
5) to seek to get a  conference planned to be held in Australia or in 
Europe to
which ATHG members could attend. (Because of distance, Europe would be better,
but I know that some people have from time to time suggested Australia, and
A. Lynn Martin’s  Research Centre for the History of Food and Drink, at
Adelaide University, might be interested.)
6) Finally I wonder whether we ought to consider changing the name to reflect
the changing research agenda and the aspirations. E.g., ISHAD: The
International Society for the History of Drugs and Alcohol, or something like
that. Or DATHG (Drugs, Alcohol and Temperance History Group). Others may
suggest more elegant alternatives. Still others may validly say that there are
possible objections to name changes.

I hope the conference goes as well as it seems from the program. The 
organizers
Dan Malleck and  Greg Marquis are to be congratulated for their effort.

Happy discussion!

Best wishes,

Ian Tyrrell