Even small amounts of alcohol weaken sleep quality, while binge drinking can disturb sleep for several days. Professor Solja Niemelä highlights that alcohol has no safe use limit and is not a health product. She also calls for routine low threshold conversations about alcohol use in health and social services.

Latvia has launched a pilot project to build an integrated care pathway for minors with drug related mental and behavioural disorders. A unique multidisciplinary team at the Children’s Hospital, extended motivation programmes and cooperation with social and law enforcement services aim to ensure continuous support beyond acute treatment. Since the project began, 107 minors have received structured clinical and social assessments.

The third Monday in January is often called “the worst day of the year”, but Av-og-til says the health benefits of White January still matter, even if you slipped for a weekend.

Norway has launched overdosefare.no, a national digital alert system designed to warn when high-risk drugs are circulating and help prevent overdoses through rapid information-sharing and coordinated preparedness.

Latvia plans to remove criminal liability for drug use by minors, while Estonia is preparing penal code reforms to direct users toward treatment instead of prison and strengthen prosecution of dealers. The developments signal a wider Baltic move toward evidence based drug policy focused on health, prevention, and harm reduction.

Icelandic prevention organisations say the current debate on alcohol policy should be grounded in facts, including a long-running police case on online alcohol sales that is now before the courts.

A survey conducted shortly before Christmas found that 29 percent of Danes were considering a “hvid januar” (alcohol-free January) in 2026. Dagrofa also reports a 20 percent year-on-year rise in sales of alcohol-free alternatives in the weeks before Christmas.

More than one third of Norwegians who drink alcohol are considering or planning an alcohol-free month in 2026. A new survey from Blå Kors shows that interest is strongest among younger people, driven mainly by health-related motivations.

A Verian survey commissioned by EHYT ry shows that Tipaton January often carries on beyond January. 81 percent of participants said they drank less alcohol in February as well, and only 15 percent had returned to their previous level of drinking.

IOGT Norge says the football World Cup should not be used as a political tool to push for more liberal alcohol rules. The organisation argues that municipalities can already grant time limited exemptions, without weakening the alcohol law.

Cocaine use has increased sharply in Finland, following a wider European trend of higher availability and record seizures. EHYT warns that falling prices may expose more vulnerable groups, and stresses the need for low-threshold, anonymous support, including during holiday periods.

Nearly eight in ten Swedes believe it is common for adults to become intoxicated around children during Christmas. New survey data from Systembolaget, together with rising call volumes to Bris, highlights how adults’ drinking continues to affect children during the holidays.

Piia Koivumäki’s new philosophy dissertation argues that addiction should be understood as a holistic, lived phenomenon shaped by brain chemistry, personal agency, and life situations. Broadening the lens can reduce stigma and support earlier access to help.

A new CAN report shows that drug experience among Swedish school students continues to fall, especially among boys. Tobacco, nicotine and early vaping remain widespread, and gambling among boys is still at a high level despite a small drop this year.

A new Sports Mehiläinen study shows that substance use is common among Finnish athletes, and clubs struggle to identify or address it. One in four athletes use substances to relax, and coaches and athletes hold sharply different views on how widespread the problem is.

A new Nordic health report shows that diets are worsening, physical activity is falling and overweight is rising across the region. The NORMO 2025 data reveal that 56 percent of adults and one in five children now have overweight or obesity, while intake of sugary foods and drinks continues to increase. Alcohol consumption overall remains stable, but clear inequalities persist, with higher use and more binge drinking among people with lower education levels.

A new study led by Aarhus University Hospital shows that people who drink three or more alcoholic drinks a day suffer much larger and more serious brain hemorrhages, and at an average age 11 years younger than other patients. The results, published in Neurology, have already received major international attention.

Europe presents itself as a champion of health and responsibility, yet its alcohol exports tell a different story. This opinion piece argues that while EU countries work to reduce harm at home, they continue exporting high-alcohol products with weak labeling and aggressive marketing to regions with fewer protections.

A new survey shows that 6 in 10 Norwegians have experienced colleagues becoming too drunk at workplace Christmas parties. Av-og-til urges leaders to address alcohol expectations in advance and reminds employees that inappropriate behaviour at the Christmas party can still lead to consequences at work.

At its General Assembly in Riga, Latvia, on 13 November 2025, NordAN adopted two resolutions on drug policy and alcohol-related health taxes. They call for a prevention-first EU drug strategy and for using alcohol tax revenues to protect prevention and civil society.