In a world where drug use is on the rise and new variants are frequently discovered and produced, the need for effective prevention is stronger than ever. According to Alexis Goosdeel, director of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), a new kind of psychoactive substance is found on the EU drug market every single week.
At the same time, preventive strategies and initiatives for battling the crisis are not in short supply. The challenge, however, is to choose the right initiatives. Prevention programmes must be evidence-based and implemented according to best practices. If done correctly, every euro invested in substance use treatment and prevention today will, according to research-based estimates, yield a tenfold return in the future.
To strengthen collaboration within the research field and to present new research and new prevention initiatives, Nordic organisations and experts met in Oslo, Norway, on 28 September, 2022 under the heading of Alcohol and drug prevention in the Nordic countries. The conference was hosted by the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services, and funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers. Conferencier at the event was Bernt Bull, senior adviser at the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services. The conference report is written by Sebastian Dahlström, freelance journalist and published by the Nordic Welfare Centre, an institution under the Nordic Council of Ministers.
The Norwegian Minister of Health and Care Services Ingvild Kjerkol opened the conference, highlighting in her welcoming speech that evidence-based prevention initiatives not only improve lives, but also improve the economy.
– Investments in prevention are important and close to my heart. If we really want to prevent problematic substance use, evidence-based prevention programmes and strategies are the best way to ensure that we get the most out of our resources. We cannot rely on good intentions and personal beliefs, said Ingvild Kjerkol.
The first half of the conference centred around the meaning of substance use today, and why prevention is needed. After the initial speeches, the focus narrowed in on young people, in particular, and the trends concerning youth and substance use. The latter half of the conference focused on the characteristics and practical implementations of evidence-based prevention initiatives. Both theory and practical examples were presented.
The conference day closed with a summary of the challenges that lay ahead on the fast-paced drug market within Europe.
This report summarises the main themes and ideas presented at the conference. The order of the speeches in this report follows that of the conference programme.