• Theme rationale and relevance to addiction research
• Guest editor team with affiliations and expertise
• Draft call for papers and key topics
• Timeline for submissions, review, and publication

Proposals that address clinical impact, recovery outcomes, and policy translation are prioritized.

• Planned outreach channels and target author community
• Expected article types and methodological focus
• Commitment to diversity of topics and perspectives
• Conflict of interest disclosures for guest editors

Proposals are assessed for scientific relevance, feasibility, and editorial capacity. Clear outreach plans improve approval likelihood.

Strong proposals show a clear gap in the literature and a realistic plan for attracting high quality submissions.

Guest editors help identify reviewers, coordinate outreach, and recommend decisions in collaboration with journal leadership.

Guest editors maintain consistent review standards and manage timelines for invited submissions.

All special issue submissions follow standard ethics requirements, including consent statements, trial registration, and data availability disclosures.

Special issues provide concentrated visibility, support community collaboration, and highlight leadership in addiction science.

Accepted proposals receive promotional support through journal channels and coordinated outreach to relevant research communities.

Curated collections help clinicians and policy teams access concentrated evidence and identify emerging trends.

Guest editors should plan outreach to conferences, research networks, and clinical communities to attract high quality submissions. A clear outreach plan improves visibility and submission volume.

• Targeted invitations to leading addiction researchers
• Announcements through professional societies
• Coordination with institutional communication teams

Proposals should estimate expected submission volume and outline how peer review capacity will be managed across the issue timeline.

• Evidence based interventions for substance use disorder
• Recovery outcomes and community reintegration
• Behavioral addictions and digital health approaches
• Policy evaluations and harm reduction strategies

A concise summary of the intended audience helps the editorial team assess relevance and outreach potential.

Clear scope boundaries help manage reviewer workload and keep timelines on track.

Focused scope improves review consistency and author guidance.

Clear themes attract the right submissions and reviewers.

Strong themes help readers locate evidence quickly.

This improves engagement with the collection.