In a world where drug use is on the rise and new variants are frequently discovered and produced, the need for effective prevention is stronger than ever. At the same time, preventive strategies and initiatives for battling the crisis are not in short supply. The challenge, however, is to choose the right initiatives.

To strengthen collaboration within the research field and to present new research and new prevention initiatives, Nordic organisations and experts met in Oslo, Norway, on 28 September 2022, under the heading of Alcohol and drug prevention in the Nordic countries.

The first half of the conference centred around the meaning of substance use today, and why prevention is needed. The latter half of the conference focused on the characteristics and practical implementations of evidence-based prevention initiatives. Both theory and practical examples were presented. This report summarises the main themes and ideas presented at the conference.