A new youth-prevention initiative in Bucharest, Romania, is encouraging adolescents to make informed decisions about alcohol, drugs and other potentially addictive behaviours. The project, titled Sober Choice: Tineri informați, alegeri libere, meaning Informed young people, free choices, began on October 19, 2026. Organised by the Sober Generation Association, the four-day programme aims to reduce young people’s vulnerability to alcohol, tobacco, psychoactive substances and the risks associated with gambling.

The initiative is taking place in three educational institutions in Bucharest’s Sector 1: Constantin Brâncoveanu National College, Dimitrie Paciurea High School and Media Technical College. Running from October 19 to 22, the programme brings prevention activities into the school environment, where adolescents can be reached directly. It is co-financed by the local municipality, demonstrating how community organisations and public authorities can work together on youth health and wellbeing.

One interesting aspect of Sober Choice is its broad understanding of addiction prevention. Alongside alcohol and drugs, the programme addresses sports betting, gambling and aggressive online promotion of gambling activities. This reflects the range of risks young people may encounter both in everyday social settings and through digital media. The project’s campaign poster highlights three central ideas: information, prevention and support.

The initiative offers an example of locally organised prevention work that may receive little international attention. While national campaigns often have larger budgets and wider visibility, smaller community projects can bring prevention messages directly to schools and local audiences. Sober Choice illustrates how an NGO and a municipality can cooperate to promote informed decision-making and encourage discussion about substance use and other addictive behaviours among adolescents.

Find more about the Sober Generation Association (Romania, October 2026)