We were in Tanzania last week at the East African Youth Forum on Drugs. Our Projects Officer Namwero Daphne presented on Civil Society Advocacy for Increased Excise Taxes on Alcohol and Tobacco Products, sharing Uganda’s experience of how evidence-based advocacy, coalition building, media engagement, and policy dialogue contributed to stronger public health-focused taxation measures. In the words of Namwero Daphne, "I was also inspired by presentations covering mental health, psychosocial support, recovery and rehabilitation, youth-led prevention, research, and policy advocacy. The discussions reaffirmed an important lesson: sustainable progress in addressing substance use challenges requires strong partnerships, credible evidence, and persistent advocacy".