Limited research evidence exists on the determinants of transitions from high-risk to low-risk substance use and gambling that occur without clinical or psychotherapeutic intervention; however, evidence supports that a key driver of transitions from harmful to low-risk substance use or gambling is life changes in the user, for example getting a job, getting married and having children.

Key words: determinants, reduction, life changes, harmful behaviours

Lead author(s): Gell, McLeod, Bühringer, Meier, Lingford-Hughes, Holmes, Forberger

Determinants at the level of the social, economic and political environment are more important in the transition to risky substance use and gambling whilst determinants at the individual and sub-individual level of analysis are more dominant in the transition to harmful behaviours.

Key words: determinants, harmful behaviour, transitions, risky behaviour

Lead author(s): Lees, Gell, McLeod, Bühringer, Meier, Lingford-Hughes, Holmes, Forberger

Understanding human evolutionary behaviour and the common mismatch between the way we run our lives in present times and the way our lives were run in the environment in which we evolved can provide better pointers as to what needs to be done to reduce the ill-health and premature death resulting from the use of alcohol and drugs.

Key words: ill-health, heavy use, drugs, evolutionary behaviour

Lead author(s): Anderson

Parental substance abuse has different manifestations throughout all the child’s developmental stages: it is important to improve multi-professional cooperation

Key words: substance use, multi-profession cooperation, children, Intergenerational impact

Lead author(s): Holmila & Raitasalo

Reduced exposure to three addictive substances (alcohol, cigarettes, illegal drugs) could save many lives in Catalonia, Poland and Portugal

Key words: mortality burden, avoidable cost, drugs, productivity loss

Lead author(s): Mielecka-Kubien, Okulicz-Kozaryn, Zin-Sedek