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:
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.
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?
The NordAN conference will start on Friday (the 10th) with 6
open seminars in the daytime and a evening concert. It will continue
on Saturday (the 11th) with plenary session in the morning and
6 workshops in the afternoon. The NordAN annual meeting of representatives
will take place in the evening as will the official conference
dinner. On Sunday morning (the 12th) the workshops will continue
before the closing ceremonies. In the afternoon some excursions
are available but not included in the conference fee.
