ALCOHOL, DRUGS AND HARM TO OTHERS
VICTIMS ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION

It is well known, that the increasing use of alcohol and drugs are important risk factors for the public health and social wellbeing of the citizens in the Nordic and Baltic countries.

The political debate on what should be done to prevent the damages from harmful and hazardous use of alcohol and drugs still has a tendency to focus on the impact of the individual user and often from a medical health perspective. This individualistic view on the damages related to harmful use of alcohol and drugs do not take into perspective that hazardous use of drugs and alcohol often brings other people at risk.

Conference highlights the risk and damages that more or less innocent people suffer from when somebody is using alcohol and drugs: Victims of accidents and injuries in the traffic and workplaces. Victims from violence in community or the domestic. Victims from family disturbances and victims of negligence of children. To the victim of injuries, violence and neglect it makes no difference if the perpetrator is only intoxicated from time to time, or have a alcohol and drug related diagnose from the health care system. Not only heavy drinkers, regular users and addicted people cause damages to others.

Irrespective of how one looks at it both the individual related health problems as well as the damages done to others they occur and arise in relations between people and it is between people they must be handled: Maintenanced or prevented.

The conference asks the participants: Can we find common sets of methodologies and indicator to report on this in our region of the world? Can we measure the public health and economic importance of alcohol and drug related accidents, injuries, violence and negligence of children in the families? What are the most effective policies and programmes to prevent alcohol and drug related accidents, injuries, violence and negligence of children in the families? What are the innovative and best practice and experience to reduce alcohol and drug related accidents, injuries, violence and negligence of children in the families? How we can support the victims so that they can function as resources to develop personal and social growth and wealth.