NAD
Commentary
NAD
Greek crisis: Impact on drug treatment services,
research and population
ANNA TSIBOUKLI
Whether the effects of the Greek socio-eco-
crisis, perceptions of alcohol and drug
nomic crisis can be portrayed as a humani-
problems have shifted. From being a high
tarian crisis is a much discussed matter in
priority area, alcohol and drug problems
Greece. The numbers can however partly
have dropped to the bottom of the list of
speak for themselves in a country affected
concerns and are not likely to emerge as a
by rapidly imposed austerity measures.
priority for either politicians or the pub-
Reforms should obviously have taken
lic very soon. Some researchers have also
place in Greece at many levels years ago,
cited police reports which suggest that
but the speed and the vigour with which
alcohol consumption and drink-driving
they have been imposed since 2010 have
decreased during the first two years of the
shocked many sectors of life – with de-
crisis (EKTEPN, 2010). Others claim that
mands on staff cuts in both the public and
there is an urgent need to further research
the private sector, salary reductions and
the changing patterns of alcohol misuse
privatisation of the public health system.
during
Greece’s
socio-economic
crisis
According to Eurostat figures (2015), un-
(Pomini, Mellos, Paparrigopoulos, & Li-
employment rates rose from 9.5% in 2009
appas, 2014). The alcohol industry report-
to 27.3%, and the annual GDP dropped by
ed a drop in alcohol sales by 46% during
26% (World Bank, 2015). Data shows that
the first four years of recession and has also
the percentage of the population living on
noted an increased illegal trade of alcohol.
or below the poverty line has increased
At 8.2 million bottles in 2012 alone, ille-
from 9% to 25% since 2010. The United
gal sales have led to significant tax losses
Nations Children’s Fund Unicef (2014) has
(IOBE). In any case, the existing services
recently reported that one in three chil-
for alcohol misuse continue to remain
dren in Greece live under the poverty line.
limited, offering services to 2000 alcohol
In 2013, as many as 3,795,100 people were
misusers in 2012 (EKTΠEN, 2014). Along
living on less than 60% of the national
with alcohol use, pathological gambling
median income (IOBE, 2015). The number
has also increased, and within the last two
of homeless people has increased rapidly
years the only helpline available in Greece
from 7720 to 20,000 (FEANTSA, 2008).
received more than 2500 calls for help
Half of this population resides in Athens
(Parios, 2015). In the area of other drugs,
(Stamatis, 2012). Migration has doubled,
the percentage of mainly heroin abusers is
and one in five Greeks now live in a family
rather stable according to the country re-
where no one is working.
port by the European Centre for Monitor-
In the context of this general social
10.1515/nsad-2015-0031
ing Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).
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The new government has already an-
tific research, treatment, training and pre-
nounced its priorities in the handling of
vention. The development of alcohol ser-
the humanitarian crisis. These start with
vices was left to voluntary organisations.
providing households with electricity,
As a result, there are now only two small
heating and food, and moving to improve
alcohol treatment programmes in Greece,
the situation for underfed children and
one run by KETHEA in Athens (a therapy
to other sectors of social security, such as
centre for dependent individuals) and the
unemployment benefits and care of poor
other by the Psychiatric Hospital of Thes-
pensioners and low-paid workers. Even
saloniki. Many alcoholics gather around
within the Ministry of Health, where al-
Alcoholic Anonymous, while others are
cohol and drug problems are an area of
left with no treatment at all. There seems
concern, the recent announcements to cut
to be no real political interest in devel-
down the budgets of public hospitals by a
oping alcohol-related programmes. Even
further 51% do not leave much room for
though a National Action Plan against
hope that substance use-related problems
Drugs is launched at roughly two-year in-
will receive political attention.
tervals, the political will to resource and
What does seem to be a matter of con-
effectively implement is weak.
cern to the media and the public is the con-
A number of staff in drug treatment,
sumption of new types of drugs. “Shisha”,
prevention and parole services was made
or “cocaine of the poor”, appeared in the
redundant at the beginning of the crisis,
streets of Athens in 2010. Also called the
while some left the organisations for oth-
crisis drug, shisha is produced in small
er reasons. There are no more than 1200
home labs and is mainly used by young
people working in the drug field today.
drug users, as it is extremely cheap but
According to the KETHEA annual plan
also highly contaminated. The Guardian
(2014), about one fifth its workforce left
(Smith, 2013) and other international me-
the drugs field. One thus can easily assume
dia (including VICE (Miller, 2013), CNN,
that accessibility and quality of treatment
BBC, Radio3, etc.) have reported on the
has actually declined. The services try
issue extensively, linking the crisis with
to respond to the increasing needs of the
shisha and its lethal effects. Further, the
drug- and alcohol-using population with
UN Annual Report claims that Greece is
limited resources and end up having long
developing into a cannabis hub and is still
waiting lists in alcohol and gambling ser-
one of the main trafficking routes for hero-
vices in particular. Several organisations
in (International Narcotics Control Board,
have sought to balance their finances by
2014).
turning to philanthropy and alternative
Despite calls for more effective and ac-
sources of funding from private donations
cessible treatment, the treatment has not
and the Solidarity Now organisation. This
received much attention. Even before the
has assisted in the development of street
crisis, alcohol and drug policies served
work programmes funded for two years
political purposes rather than the actual
by Stavros Niarchos Foundation in Greece
needs of the drug-using population, and
and dual diagnosis centres financed by EU
left little room for independence in scien-
programmes, but their operation is now at
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stake as the funds are running low and the
two-year funding period is expiring.
After the new government took office in
January 2015, the new Minister of Citizen
Researchers in Greece had anticipated
Protection visited these camps. He was
the effects of the economic crisis on drug
shocked by the living conditions there and
policy and strategy as well as the backdrop
promised immediate reforms (Skai, 2015).
of legislative reform (Poulopoulos, 2012).
Even before the crisis, the Greek gov-
Aware of the severe situation, the Pompi-
ernment never really allocated funds
dou Group experts gathered in Athens in
for research in the addiction field. Or-
2013 and agreed on a number of priori-
ganisations and young researchers had to
ties that should receive special attention.
find their own resources from other pro-
They signed the Athens Declaration (Pom-
grammes. Research funding was indirectly
pidou Group, 2013), calling for attention
available through EU-funded projects,
to be paid to the discriminatory attitudes
but this limited the scope and quality of
towards drug users and to the reduced re-
the projects. Greek organisations had to
sources.
act as partners rather than as leaders of
Their recommendations fell on deaf
these projects. Government funding was
ears. Instead a witch-hunt started against
available only for running the EMCDDA
drug-using women in prostitution, “ille-
REITOX focal point in Athens that is still
gal” immigrants and drug users (Mavrou-
in operation. Overall, data sets in Greek
di, 2013). This was a political choice for a
substance-related questions are not of very
drug control and criminal policy that does
good quality. Researchers and organisa-
not respect human rights.
tions are thus forced to carry out usually
This operation took place just before the
small-scale qualitative studies that can-
2012 national elections when a group of
not compete with international research
HIV-positive women detained by the Greek
standards. This is especially the case for
police were forcibly tested for HIV/AIDS,
researchers in social services and drug-
charged with felony, imprisoned and pub-
free treatment organisations, where fund-
licly exposed. Their mug shots and person-
ing from sources such as pharmaceutical
al data were published in the media. This
companies or tobacco and alcohol indus-
was one of the many violations of human
tries are not accepted for ethical reasons.
rights. It marked a turning point in govern-
With no such strings attached, however,
ment politics, a shift from a supportive
there are possibilities to produce real-life
social welfare state to promoting social
data based on genuine research interests,
restriction and a state of social control
but there are also serious limits for devel-
(Poulopoulos, 2014). Other equally hard
oping innovative ideas and knowledge.
operations followed, named in accordance
The challenges for researchers in Greece
with ancient Greek mythology. Xenios
are many and will remain so in the com-
Zeus (representing hospitality in ancient
ing years.
Greece) and Thetis (mother of Achilles and
Greek universities have never been in-
creator of the universe) were cover names
terested in developing research and train-
for operations detaining illegal immigrants
ing in the addiction field. The only ex-
in purposely built detention camps.
ception was a postgraduate programme
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NORDIC STUDIES ON ALCOHOL AND DRUGS
335
that had to close down after only a few
man resources do not bode well for the
years. In practice this left KETHEA as the
further development of research, train-
sole key player for training, research and
ing and publications. Other sectors seem
publications. These included the research
to be regarded as more important in the
journal Exartiseis and the development of
field. Policy and legislative reforms, care
a number of short training programmes
of human rights, implementation of a new
in collaboration with other institutions
drugs law, prison reforms, the closure of
mainly from Greece, the United States and
detention camps, the development of ser-
the United Kingdom. The trouble is that
vices for illegal immigrants and the fight
this policy provides limited opportunities
for gender rights are some of the urgent
for further development, given the budget
entries on the list of priorities. This is why
cuts, staff shortages and changes in the ad-
so many Greeks believe that this is in fact
ministration of the organisations.
a humanitarian crisis.
The various organisations, key players,
the new government, and drug and alcohol users and their families face many
challenges. Limited financial and hu-
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Anna Tsiboukli, PhD
Chartered Psychologist, FBPSs
Co-editor, Exartiseis
E-mail: [email protected]
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