Studies show that clear boundaries set by parents and other adults regarding alcohol and other drugs reduce consumption among young people. The County Administrative Board is launching the website FullControl.nu to support adults in setting clear boundaries and offering practical advice and facts about different substances. There is also material available for those who interact with parents of teenagers and young people in their work.

• We know that no one can have 100 per cent control over their teenager, but we want to give parents and other significant adults a better understanding of what really matters when it comes to young people’s relationship with alcohol and other drugs. When you have that knowledge and security, it may be easier to say no. In addition, studies show that young people appreciate clear boundaries, says Maribel Basualdo Raneskog, developer in public health and rights issues at the County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland.

In addition to advice for parents and other significant adults, FullControl.nu includes tools and materials for municipalities, civil society, and other actors working preventively against alcohol and other drugs. Such material includes posters for use in activities and communication initiatives to share on social media.

• The toolbox that FullControl.nu offers contains different types of materials that we hope will be useful in various contexts. If we have many actors working together can significantly impact the country, says Maribel Basualdo Raneskog.

The County Administrative Board supports the regional work against alcohol and other drugs The County Administrative Boards have a mandate from the government to coordinate work against alcohol, drugs, doping, tobacco, and gambling (ANDTS) in each county. The new FullControl.nu is part of this effort. The focus on reaching adults to reduce young people’s alcohol and drug use is because the national ANDTS strategy has special areas of intervention around children and young people. The overarching goal of the strategy is a society free from drugs and doping, reduced medical and social harm caused by alcohol, and a decreased use of tobacco.

• The hope is that more young people choosing to delay their alcohol debut and fewer starting to use drugs will lead to a more restrictive attitude towards alcohol and other drugs in adulthood. As on many other occasions, focus on children and young people is an important part of the preventive work,” says Maribel Basualdo Raneskog.

Fullkoll.nu was launched on May 22 and is run by the country’s 21 County Administrative Boards.

Find more from Fullkoll.nu (Sweden, May 2023)