The City of Helsinki has drawn up a new substance abuse prevention strategy for 2026–2029. The strategy aims to reduce the harmful impacts of substance abuse, prevent drug-related deaths, and enhance the wellbeing and safety of the city’s residents. The City Board approved the substance abuse prevention strategy in its meeting on 24 August 2026.
‘Through this new strategy, we can strengthen the long-term work in preventing substance abuse, decreasing the number of drug-related deaths and secure the high quality of substance abuse services in Helsinki. Help and treatment from substance abuse services must be available fluently and at a low threshold in Helsinki when they are needed. The substance use prevention strategy allows us to decrease the effects of substance use in Helsinki, creating safer everyday environments for everyone in the city,’ says Daniel Sazonov, Mayor of Helsinki.
Five objectives will guide substance abuse work in the coming years
The substance abuse prevention strategy covers issues related to alcohol, tobacco and nicotine products, drugs, the misuse of medicines, and gambling and online gaming. The strategy also covers the prevention of harmful impacts and deaths related to substance use, as well as the availability and market for legal substances.
The objectives of the Helsinki substance abuse prevention strategy 2026–2029 are:
- The needs for support and treatment of different population groups are identified, and substance use is reduced.
- The negative impacts of substance abuse will decline and the number of drug-related deaths decrease by half.
- Substance-related disturbances and violent incidents in public spaces are decreased, and the residents’ experience on the safety of public spaces is improved.
- Substance abuse related work and reducing stigma are everyone’s responsibility.
- The substance abuse prevention strategy is managed and implemented through cooperation and a shared understanding of the situation.
The objectives are achieved through tangible measures. For children and young people, substance abuse education and network-based cooperation will be strengthened. For people of working age, early intervention and the prevention of the harmful impacts of gambling will be prioritised, while targeted advice and support will be provided for older people. At the same time, access to care and the efficiency of service pathways are improved, the safety of the urban environment is strengthened, and the planning of substance use and housing services will ensure that the related disturbances are not focused on certain areas. Staff competence and cooperation between different operators are also strengthened, in addition to increasing communications about services which support decreasing or discontinuing substance abuse. It is essential to reduce the stigma associated with substance abuse in order to ensure that people seek help and treatment in good time.
Substance abuse related issues are complex and rapidly changing, which is why addressing them requires long-term and wide-ranging cooperation. The implementation of the strategy is continuously monitored using an up-to-date overview of the situation, so that changes in the operating environment can be responded to swiftly.
Preventive substance abuse services support wellbeing in everyday life
The aim of preventive substance abuse services is to reduce the negative impacts of substance abuse and gambling, and to promote wellbeing, safety and healthy lifestyles. The work focuses on strengthening protective factors, reducing risks, and providing early support.
Preventive substance abuse services are provided extensively in everyday environments such as early childhood education, schools, educational institutions, youth work, workplaces, leisure activities, and health care and social welfare services. Significant measures include age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate education on substance use, discussion, providing early support, supporting loved ones and cooperation between different operators.
The City’s strategic objectives and measures for preventive substance abuse services are set out in the substance abuse prevention strategy. The action plan for preventive substance abuse service, due to be approved in autumn 2026, will define these objectives and measures in more detail.
Quick and easily accessible help from substance abuse services
The substance abuse services strategy is included in the substance abuse strategy to promote accessible high-quality services. Access to the services is straightforward, and being substance-free is not required. Treatment can begin as early as the first contact, if necessary.
The services are being expanded across the city so that help is available close to the everyday lives of the residents. Low-threshold services will be developed as needed, and mobile work will reach even the most vulnerable residents. The outreach work of the mobile Symppis unit is continued, the reward treatment method is tested, and methods which have been proven effective will be introduced with no age limits. New treatment methods which are based on research evidence will also be promoted. Helsinki is also campaigning to promote legislation which would allow supervised consumption rooms. Neighbourhood and environmental work help to reduce stigma, prevent negative impacts, and improve the pleasantness of the local environment.
The continuity of care and rehabilitation will be improved, and substance abuse and mental health care will be combined according to individual needs. Methods are also being developed to better meet the needs of young people, foreign-language speakers and other special groups, while ensuring the quality of services through strengthening staff competence and knowledge-based management.
The strategy is based on information gathered from several sources and the results of the substance abuse survey
The strategy is based on information gathered from several sources and the results of the Helsinki substance abuse survey. According to the data, drug use and drug-related deaths have increased in Helsinki. The unsafety experienced in public spaces has increased, and disturbances caused by intoxicated people are a cause for concern among residents. At the same time, high-risk alcohol use has decreased amongst people of working age but increased amongst older people. Smoking has declined, while the use of nicotine pouches has become more widespread, particularly among young people. The changing operating environment, such as the internationalisation of drug trafficking and the liberalisation of the gambling market, presents new challenges.
The Helsinki substance abuse survey carried out in April–May 2026 received nearly 5,800 responses from Helsinki residents aged 15 and over. Respondents reported their observations regarding the use and sale of drugs in various parts of the city. Nearly 70 per cent of the adults who responded to the survey, and more than half of the young respondents, said they had been afraid of intoxicated people they had encountered in public places. Many adults also found it difficult to get help to reduce or stop their substance abuse, even though information on support services is available. As many as 90 per cent of the respondents who were concerned about their own substance use said they knew where they could get help.
Only 35 per cent of the respondents were familiar with preventive substance abuse services. The visibility of the services will be improved during the strategy period in order to increase the awareness of Helsinki residents about the City’s actions for the prevention of harmful impacts of intoxicants and where to find help.