The Association for Healthy Lifestyles has been in operation since 1914 and has operated in its current form since 1994.

The mission of the Association for Healthy Lifestyles is

• to prevent harms caused by substance abuse and to promote temperance.
• to improve public health as well as social equality and security.
• to act as an expert and service organisation in the field of substance abuse prevention.
• to help remove social barriers to people's ability to cope.
• to provide our member organisations with the means to improve the life management skills of our clients.

In order to fulfil its mission, the Association:

• actively engages in societal discussions regarding life management and substance abuse issues.
• provides training services and health education.
• provides information services and produces publications.
• takes part in international activities and co-operation networks.
• provides recreational services and maintains training course facilities and outdoor recreation areas.
• maintains regional activity centres and organises local activities.

The main forms of activities of the Association include the regional activity centres called Elokolo, maintained in co-operation with partners; training services; and societal activities. The Association organises courses and training for e.g. social and health care professionals, private citizens, and various focus groups, in co-operation with its member organisations. The activities of the Association reach over 150 000 clients each year. Most of the funding comes from Finland's Slot Machine Association.

The main societal goals of the Association are as follows:

1. The promotion of positive and sustainable development in issues of substance abuse, both now and in the future, is connected to societal equality and justice. Substance abuse problems tend to accumulate with those at financial and social disadvantage. Society must be able to provide building blocks for a good life for all its citizens, so that substances need not be used in their place.
   
   
2. Association for Healthy Lifestyles aims to cut Finnish alcohol consumption down by half by the year 2040. Decisions about the price and availability of alcohol must be based on health concerns. As product taxes are defined in euros, the taxes must be raised regularly in keeping with the general cost level. In addition, parallel and mainstreaming preventive substance work is needed: it must be of high quality, and based not only on values but also science. Support for citizens in the early stages of alcohol problems is particularly important. This also requires that alcohol advertisements are banned.
   
   
3. Association for Healthy Lifestyles aims to make it as difficult as possible to get addicted to nicotine, both in Finland and in the world. Tobacco products must come at prices that do not encourage people to start or continue smoking. Tobacco advertisements must be banned also outside the Western countries. Special attention must be paid to the prevention of marginalisation of nicotine addicts, the availability of free withdrawal treatments, and the protection of children and adolescents known to be particularly vulnerable. Smoking prevention at schools must be raised to a new level.
   
   
4. Association for Healthy Lifestyles aims to make sure that people, in Finland and in the world, do not want to use drugs and do not have to resort to working in the drug industry in order to make a living. Getting rich at the expense of drug addicts must not be possible. The number of legal substances in Finland must not increase. Harms caused by drug use must be prevented, while we at the same time ensure that addicts can receive treatment and that their rights are respected. We must work on the entire chain of drug trafficking, from those who grow and produce illegal substances to those who sell and use them.

Association for Healthy Lifestyles belongs to the following international organisations:

• EUROCARE
  Advocacy for the Prevention of Alcohol Related Harm in Europe
• Nordan
  Nordic Alcohol and Drug Policy Network
• Prevnet
  An European network of bodies promoting the use of telematics for the prevention of drugs and other substance misuse