An Icelandic success story of prevention of adolescent substance use

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-04/ru-ais042616.php

Public Release: 26-Apr-2016
An Icelandic success story of prevention of adolescent substance use
Reykjavik University

In 1998 substance use amongst adolescents in Iceland was one of the highest in Europe. By 2015, it was amongst the lowest.

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There are three core elements to the YiE programme: a community based approach, collaboration between researchers, policy makers and people in the field, and evidence based work.

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A number of measures have been implemented in Iceland in the last two decades to boost protective factors and minimise risk of substance use among adolescents, based primarily on results from the YiE study. These include raising the legal age of adulthood from 16 to 18 years, increasing the age limits to buy tobacco and alcohol from 18 to 20 years, and imposing strict regulations for selling tobacco and alcohol, including a ban on advertising. Financial support for organised sports and healthy lifestyle activities has also been increased considerably during this time. The government has also set and upheld strict rules on minimum outdoor hours of children and teenagers, and parents have been urged to spend more time with their children.

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