Ethics statement

Publication Ethics Statement — ACE Journal of Addiction (ACEJA)

The ACE Journal of Addiction (ACEJA) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct in scholarly publishing. The journal expects all authors, reviewers, editors, and editorial staff to uphold integrity, transparency, fairness, and accountability throughout the publication process.

ACEJA follows internationally accepted ethical publishing practices and adheres to the principles and best practices recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to ACEJA must ensure that:

  • The submitted work is original and has not been published previously.
  • The manuscript is not under consideration by another journal simultaneously.
  • Findings from a single study are not divided into multiple manuscripts (duplicate or "salami" publication) without clear scientific justification and full disclosure to the editor.
  • All sources of information are properly cited and referenced.
  • Data presented in the manuscript is accurate, authentic, and not fabricated, manipulated, or falsified.
  • Proper acknowledgment is given to contributors who do not meet authorship criteria.
  • All listed authors have significantly contributed to the research and approved the final manuscript.
  • Any conflicts of interest are disclosed.
  • All sources of funding or sponsorship for the research are disclosed.
  • Ethical approval has been obtained, and informed consent (and assent, where applicable) documented, where research involves human participants, animals, or sensitive data.
  • Authors must immediately notify the journal if they identify significant errors in their published work.

Vulnerable Populations

Given the journal's scope, submissions frequently involve populations requiring additional ethical safeguards, including minors, pregnant individuals, individuals with substance use or psychiatric disorders, and survivors of abuse. Authors reporting research involving such populations must demonstrate that appropriate additional protections were followed, including assessment of participants' capacity to consent, use of legally authorized representatives where required, and specific ethics committee approval addressing the population's vulnerability.

Plagiarism Policy

ACEJA has zero tolerance for plagiarism.

  • All manuscripts are screened using plagiarism detection software before peer review.
  • Manuscripts with unacceptable similarity levels may be rejected.
  • Self-plagiarism (reuse of an author's own previously published text or data without disclosure) is treated with the same seriousness as plagiarism of others' work.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers are expected to:

  • Conduct objective, fair, and timely reviews
  • Maintain confidentiality of submitted manuscripts
  • Provide constructive feedback
  • Identify relevant uncited work where appropriate
  • Report suspected plagiarism or ethical misconduct
  • Disclose conflicts of interest and decline review where necessary

Reviewers must not use unpublished manuscript content for personal benefit.

Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are responsible for:

  • Making fair and unbiased editorial decisions
  • Evaluating manuscripts solely on academic merit
  • Maintaining confidentiality
  • Preventing conflicts of interest
  • Ensuring ethical compliance
  • Addressing allegations of misconduct appropriately

Editors must not discriminate based on nationality, gender, religion, institutional affiliation, or political beliefs.

Conflict of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, institutional, personal, or professional conflicts of interest that may influence the publication process.

Data Integrity and Reproducibility

Authors should maintain accurate records of research data and be prepared to provide raw data when requested by editors. Manipulation of research data is strictly prohibited.

Human and Animal Research Ethics

Research involving humans or animals must comply with recognized ethical standards and institutional approval requirements. Authors must clearly state ethical approval details, including the approving body and approval reference number, where applicable.

Confidentiality of Patient and Participant Information

Beyond the confidentiality owed to unpublished manuscripts, ACEJA requires that no patient- or participant-identifiable information be included in a published article unless separate, specific consent for publication has been obtained, consistent with the journal's Copyright and Licensing policy. Editors and reviewers who encounter identifiable information in a submitted manuscript must treat it with the same confidentiality as clinical records.

Corrections, Retractions, and Misconduct

If ethical misconduct or major errors are identified after publication, ACEJA may take corrective action including:

  • Publishing corrections
  • Issuing expressions of concern
  • Retraction of articles

Serious ethical violations may result in permanent submission restrictions.

Complaints Procedure

Readers, authors, or other third parties who have concerns about the ethical conduct of a published article, or about the behavior of an editor or reviewer, may submit a written complaint to the editorial office. Complaints are handled independently of the individuals concerned and, where warranted, in line with COPE's guidance on handling allegations of misconduct.

AI and Technology Use Disclosure

Authors using artificial intelligence tools — including generative AI tools for writing assistance, language editing, coding, or data analysis — must disclose such use in the manuscript.
AI tools cannot be listed as authors.

Commitment to Ethical Publishing

ACEJA is dedicated to fostering responsible research publication that contributes positively to the understanding, prevention, and treatment of addiction and mental health conditions, through rigorous and ethical academic practice.