The purpose of this study is to examine to what extent and how civil society organizations ambitions to influence young people's attitudes and values are conducted with the support from science and research.

Three research questions guide the study: what stages in the ambitions are influenced by science, what forms of science are used, and how the use of science can be interpreted in this context. The empirical material consists of four case studies of civil society organizations using science and research in their ambitions to change young people's attitudes to alcohol and drugs.

Empirical and analytical results indicate that civil society organizations use science and research mainly in a rhetorical sense, and that the use in practice is debatable, where the number of references to research and researchers are limited.

An alternative interpretation of the significance of science is that it functions as yet another arena for negotiation, debate and conflict between the temperance movement and the alcohol industry regarding the use of alcohol and drugs.