The Addiction Prevention Competence Centre operates throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina in the field of universal and selective addiction prevention. The work of the Addiction Prevention Competence Centre is based on an etiological model that describes the micro- and macro-environments affecting all people, making them more or less exposed to the risk of using addictive substances and engaging in other risky behaviors.

Addiction prevention requires a long-term, thoughtful, and high-quality approach. On this path, the Addiction Prevention Competence Centre collaborates with key social stakeholders across BiH and the world in a joint mission to prevent addiction in all its forms.
Programs implemented by the Addiction Prevention Competence Centre are not focused solely on curbing the use of psychoactive substances or other risky behaviors. They are focused on the individual—their empowerment, the development of personal capacities, and the adoption of healthy lifestyle habits. Through such an approach, the individual learns to recognize risks, make informed decisions, and act toward a better and healthier life. This approach stands in contrast to methods relying on scare tactics and short-term, one-off interventions that can cause more harm than good.

An additional segment of the Addiction Prevention Competence Centre’s work involves youth engagement through volunteer activities and participation in international youth exchanges, accompanied by continuous mentoring support.
For 23 years, the Addiction Prevention Competence Centre operated under the name Association for Addiction Prevention NARKO-NE, which was founded in 2002 under the Ministry of Justice of BiH. In August 2025, the organization officially changed its name to the Addiction Prevention Competence Centre.