Greenland looks to Icelandic prevention experience as it develops long-term alcohol policy
- Nordic Alcohol and Drug Policy Network
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
02.09.2026 - Greenland’s Minister for Health and Persons with Disabilities, Anna Wangenheim, visited Icelandic prevention organisation FRÆ on 24 August as part of a visit to Iceland connected with a meeting of Nordic health ministers. The discussions focused particularly on alcohol policy, prevention and lessons from Iceland’s experience over the past three decades.
Wangenheim is currently working on the development of a long-term, evidence-based alcohol policy for Greenland. During the visit, she was interested in learning more about how prevention work is organised in Iceland, the role of different actors and the approaches that have contributed to reductions in alcohol and other substance use among young people.
FRÆ Executive Director Árni Einarsson highlighted the importance of cooperation between parents, schools, municipalities, government and civil society. He also described some of the challenges Iceland now faces, including rapidly changing nicotine markets, increasing youth use of nicotine, easier online access to alcohol, growing commercial pressure and alcohol marketing, and what FRÆ sees as weakening political attention and funding for prevention. According to FRÆ, these developments contribute to a broader normalisation of alcohol use.
A central theme of the discussion was that Nordic prevention principles cannot simply be transferred unchanged from one society to another. Wangenheim has emphasised strengthening prevention alongside treatment and adapting public health approaches to Greenland’s particular circumstances. Greenland faces distinctive challenges including a small and geographically dispersed population, long distances, shortages of health professionals and reliance on Denmark for parts of specialised healthcare. Building greater public health and prevention capacity within Greenland, including through education and workforce development, is therefore an important part of the approach.
The visit provides another example of Nordic exchange on alcohol policy at a time when evidence-based prevention is receiving renewed attention. WHO continues to emphasise population-level measures such as restrictions on alcohol availability and marketing, pricing policies, drink-driving measures and access to screening and treatment as the most effective components of comprehensive alcohol policy.
Source: FRÆ, Fræðsla og forvarnir, 28 August 2026.
