What started as a popular Labor Party promise to let the beer flow until 6 AM during the World Cup has turned into a controversial policy fight. Critics call the proposal "idiotic" and dangerous. Despite warnings from health ministry experts about increased violence and crime, political leaders have pushed forward. Resistance is coming from unions concerned for worker safety and NGOs like Ly, which argues that "setting children’s safety aside" for a football tournament is a "

New figures from Denmark’s National Health Profile 2025 show a continued decline in the share of Danes drinking more than 10 units of alcohol per week. But according to Alkohol & Samfund, Denmark still has a very strong alcohol culture, and among young people binge drinking appears to be increasing.

A new report from the Alcohol and Society research series finds that more than half of all alcohol consumption takes place in contexts that lead to intoxication. The authors warn that this pattern is not marginal but normalised, and that it drives both acute harms and long-term health risks.

NordAN has submitted comments to the European Commission on Finland’s latest alcohol law reform. The network argues that the proposal is not just a small technical change, but another step in a wider pattern that gradually weakens Alko’s role while Finland still relies on the monopoly’s public health justification.

A long-running dispute over online alcohol sales in Iceland is now moving on two tracks at once. A court case due to be heard on 5 March will test whether the current sales model used by private operators is legal under existing law, while a new bill before Alþingi would change that legal framework by formally allowing licensed online alcohol retail. Together, the two processes could shape the future of Iceland’s alcohol monopoly system.

State funding for the EPT network, which coordinates NGO cooperation in preventive substance use work, will end in 2026, despite growing substance-related harms and broad opposition from civil society organisations.

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.

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.

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.

NordAN turns 25 as we meet in Riga to look honestly at policy under stress. Budgets are tight, politics shifts, industry pushes, and mental health needs grow. We will compare what holds and what fails, learn from other countries, get ideas, and find contact points. The gap between international promises and national action is real. Our task is to describe it clearly and improve interventions that protect people.

A new pilot project in Finland aims to support the well-being of pregnant women and ensure a safe, substance-free environment for fetal development. The project evaluates the use of a new, highly sensitive PEth blood test as a potential routine screening method for alcohol use in early pregnancy.

The Christian Democrats in Denmark have proposed a new pilot program offering free residential treatment for 400 people struggling with alcohol addiction. The initiative, “Glæd dig til at være ædru” (“Look forward to being sober”), aims to help affected families and reduce the social and economic costs linked to alcohol dependence.

A new CAN report shows that Swedes are bringing home far less alcohol from abroad than before. Between 2019 and 2024, traveler imports dropped by more than 40 percent, with spirits showing the largest decline.

The Finnish government’s proposal to expand alcohol home delivery and distance selling threatens to increase alcohol consumption and harms while directing profits abroad. EHYT warns that the move undermines proven public health policies and places children and youth at greater risk.

The Government of Greenland has just submitted expert recommendations for a multi-year, evidence-based alcohol policy to the Parliament of Greenland. The recommendations are intended to form the basis for a broad political agreement on alcohol policy, which can set the framework for continued work on a long-term and sustainable alcohol policy.

A University of Helsinki doctoral study shows that Finns exposed to more liberal alcohol policies in their youth have higher rates of alcohol-related illness and mortality later in life. The findings underline how policy decisions can shape public health outcomes decades into the future.

A new agreement in Denmark will make alcohol less visible in supermarkets and grocery stores. From October 2025, alcoholic drinks may not be placed near candy, chips, toys, fruit and vegetables, or checkout areas. The aim is to reduce young people’s exposure and temptation to buy alcohol, as part of the government’s prevention plan.

World Suicide Prevention Day (10 September) focuses on Changing the Narrative on Suicide. NordAN highlights a neglected part of that story: alcohol. Acute intoxication impairs judgment and raises the risk of suicidal behaviour, and alcohol use disorder is linked to higher rates of attempts and deaths. Changing the narrative means replacing “drink to cope” with real support, integrating alcohol screening into care, and advancing population policies that reduce harm.

Homelessness, substance use, and gambling problems among young Finns are increasing. The Blue Ribbon Association and Foundation appealed to Minister Mika Poutala, stressing that state budget decisions and policies on alcohol, gambling, and housing must better safeguard youth wellbeing. They warn that no welfare state should attempt to balance its finances by worsening young people’s struggles with addiction and homelessness.

IOGT Norway criticizes the Labour Party for political horse-trading that could weaken Norway’s internationally recognized alcohol policy. The organization is disappointed by the party’s openness to loosening restrictions, such as allowing alcohol in parks and possibly weakening the alcohol advertising ban. IOGT urges the party to maintain a restrictive, effective policy that prioritizes public health and safety over market interests.