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