Substance abuse prevention

Preventive substance abuse work is the prevention and reduction of harm caused by substances. The aim is to reduce the demand, availability, supply and harm of substances and to promote health, safety and well-being. Preventive substance abuse work focuses on alcohol, narcotics, tobacco and other substances used for intoxication. Gambling addiction and other functional addictions are also included in the scope of the work.

Preventive substance abuse work is based on law, and the municipality's task is to create sufficient conditions for the work. The municipality's basic services form the basis of preventive substance abuse work, and a large part of the work takes place in basic services. In this work, non-governmental organizations, municipal residents, and the business community are essential partners of basic services. The municipality's task is to ensure that preventive substance abuse work is long-term, coordinated, and targeted at all residents.

In the North Satakunta region, preventive substance abuse work is carried out using the Pakka operating model, which is a Finnish researched application for local work preventing substance abuse. The Pakka operating model focuses on addressing the availability of alcohol, tobacco and gambling. The Pakka operating model involves preventive substance abuse work focused on local communities, with the aim of:

• Alcohol use, smoking and problem gambling among young people and adults are decreasing
• the age of initiation of drinking, smoking and gambling is rising
• binge drinking and its harmful effects are reduced
• Harms related to alcohol, smoking and gambling in the region and the region are systematically prevented in cooperation with a multi-professional network.

The work being carried out is based on existing legislation and the aim is to make the laws come alive at the local level. Pakka measures include, for example, annual integrated shopping tests at points of sale, customer assessments at restaurants and various campaigns related to outreach to young people. A multidisciplinary Pakka steering group is involved in the Pakka work, which includes not only employees of the city and the Satakunta welfare area, but also representatives of the police and organizations.

In March 2019, the Valomerkki operating model and the Omin jaloin method were introduced in our area. Valomerkki discussions are preventive activities. The target group is minors who have used intoxicants or who are in possession of intoxicants. Child welfare clients are not referred to the Valomerkki discussion. The operating model intervenes in the use of intoxicants by young people before the young person develops larger problems due to intoxicants. The idea of ​​the operating model is to influence parents through attitude change and to influence young people through attitude change in their parents and their own.

The Omin jaloin method is also a model of early intervention. The focus is on examining the young person's life through semi-structured written tasks across nine different life areas. The method helps the worker map the challenges and strengths of the young person and their family, and find the forces in the young person's life that support and move them forward.

The National Substance Abuse Prevention Week is celebrated in week 45 with annually changing themes and various social media campaigns.

Preventive substance abuse work is carried out in our area in a multidisciplinary manner with different sectors.