In our work on alcohol and substance use, we tackle the health and social harm that alcohol, tobacco and psychoactive substances cause. Our efforts focus on supporting knowledge-based policymaking to reduce the health and social harm from these substances.
Excess use of alcohol, illicit drugs, tobacco and other psychoactive substances are some of the leading causes of disability and premature death in our region. They cause a range of mental and behavioural disorders and communicable conditions. On top of that, substance use-related harm costs billions of euros to health systems and societies every year.
Knowledge-based policies, programmes and practices can effectively reduce harm caused by alcohol, tobacco and substance. That is why our Expert Group on Alcohol and Substance Use engages in policy learning. As representatives of Ministries of Health and National Health Institutes, the members of the group regularly share the trends in the alcohol, tobacco and psychoactive substances use along with the policies that have and have not worked.
Expert Group Members
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Lithuania Lietuva
Acting Chair
Ms. Jelena Talackiene
Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania
Mental Health Division
International Technical Advisor
NDPHS Secretariat
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Estonia Eesti
Ms. Brigitta Õunmaa
Ministry of Social Affairs of the Republic of Estonia
Adviser at the Department of Public Health
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Finland Suomi
Ms Jaana Markkula
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)
Alternate(s) Mr Thomas Karlsson
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)
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Latvia Latvija
Ms. Sanita Lazdina
Senior Expert, Health Promotion and Addiction Prevention Unit, Public Health Department, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Latvia
Ms. Elēna Zviedre
Senior Expert,
Health Promotion and Addiction Prevention Unit, Public Health Department, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Latvia
Alternate(s)
Ms. Kate Vulāne
Senior Public Health Analyst, Centre for Disease Prevention and Control of Latvia
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Lithuania Lietuva
Alternate(s)
Ms. Gražina Belian
Drug, Tobacco and Alcohol Control Department
Mr. Gintaras Karanda
State Mental Health Centre
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Norway Norge
Ms. Herdis Dugstad
Senior Adviser
Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services
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Poland Polska
Mr. Janusz Sierosławski
The Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology
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Sweden Sverige
Ms. Eleonor Säftsen
The Public Health Agency of Sweden
Unit for Alcohol Prevention
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Ukraine Украина
Ms. Tatiana Skapa
Head of the Department of Public Health
Ministry of Health of Ukraine
Ms. Olena Zaporozhska
Head of Department of Non-Communicable Diseases Prevention State institution
Ministry of Health of Ukraine
Nordic Council of Ministers (NCM)
Ms. Nadja Frederiksen
Nordens välfärdscenter/Pohjoismainen hyvinvointikeskus
Nordic Welfare Centre
