The National action plan for substance use prevention for 2026‒2035 guides work carried out at the national, regional and local levels to prevent and reduce harms caused by alcohol, tobacco and nicotine products, drugs and gambling. The Action plan supports the implementation of the Act on the Organisation of Substance Use Prevention (523/2015) and the Substance Use and Addiction Strategy. Where applicable, the Action plan also takes into account the prevention of harms caused by digital gaming as part of the prevention of gambling-related harms.
The Action plan is primarily a tool for professionals engaged in substance use prevention in municipalities and wellbeing services counties. They can select measures from the plan’s priority areas according to their needs and promote them in different years. In addition, national actors can identify measures in the plan through which they can support the prerequisites for effective work in municipalities and wellbeing services counties. The Action plan provides direction for effective, high-quality and jointly implemented substance use prevention.
Goals
The Action plan contributes to achieving the following national objectives for substance use prevention:
- The use of alcohol, drugs, tobacco and nicotine products among adults, as well as gambling at a risk level, will decrease.
- Minors do not use alcohol, tobacco and nicotine products or drugs, nor do they participate in gambling.
- Fewer unborn children, children, young people, working-age adults and older people experience harm as a result of the use of alcohol, tobacco and nicotine products, drugs or gambling.
To achieve these objectives, the Action plan describes priority areas, objectives and measures up to 2035. The priority areas of the plan are:
- Research-based information and high-quality structures as the foundation for leadership and implementation of substance use prevention
- Everyday environments as agents of change
- Greater effectiveness through diverse early identification and needs-based support
Work in line with the priority areas is further strengthened through the following cross-cutting operational guidelines:
- Knowledge-based communication
- Strong competence at different levels
- Enabling participation and inclusion
- Active reduction of stigma.
Implementation
The Action plan supports the implementation of the Act on the Organisation of Substance Use Prevention (523/2015), which is carried out by public authorities, such as state authorities, municipalities and wellbeing services counties, in cooperation with non-profit organisations.
As part of its statutory responsibility for guiding substance use prevention, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) coordinates, monitors and evaluates the implementation of the Plan at the national level. To support implementation, a new national steering group for substance use prevention will be appointed at THL at the end of 2026. Representatives from key central governmental organisations, non-profit associations, municipalities and wellbeing services counties will be invited to participate. In addition, work in accordance with the plan’s priority areas will be supported through various networks and cooperation forums, as well as by providing information and training for professionals from different sectors.
Implementation is guided by the following principles:
- Compassion
- Equity
- Comprehensiveness
- Quality
- Working together.
Partners
The Action plan for Substance Use Prevention is implemented through broad stakeholder cooperation based on the principle that "substance use prevention belongs to everyone". The programme’s key stakeholders include municipalities, wellbeing services counties, various central government organisations, educational institutions and non-profit associations, such as NGOs. Residents themselves are also important actors in substance use prevention.
Contact details
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