17.02.2025 - Questions related to the health and wellbeing of Finns will be decided in the regional and municipal elections on April 13. Substance abuse and gambling cause significant costs to municipalities and wellbeing services counties and increase human suffering. Alcohol alone generates hundreds of millions of euros in healthcare costs for wellbeing services counties. Political parties and future decision-makers must find ways to prevent substance-related harm.
The upcoming elections will decide on the wellbeing of Finns in a challenging situation. The availability of alcohol and nicotine products has increased, raising the risk of addiction and health harms, especially among young people. Alcohol already causes substantial costs for wellbeing services counties, and Finland ranks among the top in Europe for youth drug-related deaths. At the same time, the gambling monopoly is being dismantled, which may increase gambling harms. Additionally, the care guarantee is being extended, although many substance users already lack timely help.
“Finland’s substance abuse situation is worrying, and every future decision-maker should be interested in solving it. The need for early support is growing, and research-based substance education is needed more than ever. However, resources are decreasing, making prevention harder and reducing access to care and support,” says Yrmy Ikonen, chair of the Finnish Network for Preventive Substance Abuse Work and executive director of A-kiltojen liitto ry.
Decisions made at the national level on substance policy are reflected in municipalities and wellbeing services counties as growing harms. Municipalities and wellbeing services counties play a key role in preventing and solving substance-related problems in society. For example, alcohol- and drug-related deaths already cause the highest losses of potential life years in most wellbeing services counties.
The Act on Preventive Substance Abuse Work obliges municipalities and wellbeing services counties to cooperate with organizations. Future decision-makers are troubled by budget pressures on municipalities and wellbeing services counties, further strained by a 130 million euro cut in grants to social and health organizations that work with them.
“Investing in preventive substance abuse work is always cheaper than fixing the problems. Prevention brings wellbeing and economic savings, increases productivity, and reduces the burden on social and healthcare services. It is also humane,” reminds Juha Mikkonen, executive director of the Finnish Association for Substance Abuse Prevention (EHYT ry).
The Finnish Network for Preventive Substance Abuse Work and EHYT emphasize that municipalities and wellbeing services counties must seek solutions to prevent substance-related harm. Preventive substance abuse work must be a priority, reflected from strategy to practice, through close cooperation with organizations, municipalities, and wellbeing services counties to utilize all expertise.
“Municipal and regional decision-makers can influence substance harm prevention and support people when they need help. The wellbeing of residents benefits everyone,” says Ikonen.
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