There is a growing tendency for young people to get trapped in the dark world of drugs and in the city of Larissa, according to the data recorded by the therapeutic organization “KETHEA Exit”. This trend seems to have new qualitative characteristics, as it is found that there is a shift of a larger share of new users towards the use and trafficking of cocaine in recent years. This is a trend followed by groups of young people, which is changing the traditional profile of users who used to belong to a limited part of the so-called “fringe”.

As he explains the person in charge of the therapeutic program of KETHEA- Exodos Sotiris Boundisin recent years a new trend on a large scale is found in new generations involved with the use of drugs, going beyond the limits of the use of hashish and being led much more easily to other drugs dominated by cocaine and not only.

Mr. Bundis reports that in recent years there has been a “delegitimization” of this particular drug in the consciousness of young people, in the context of a more general social attitude to life. As he notes, in addition to the adults, a portion of the minors in the Larissa area are now included in this model, which is quite worrying.

At the same time, according to Mr. Bundis, the incidents of the trafficking of such drugs are increasing, which shows that “there is a growing demand from new groups of people”. According to Mr. Bundis, the economic crisis, general social exclusion, social impasses, lead a portion of young people to delinquency and drug use, to an increase in violence, etc.

“It is essentially a social problem that is based on the current impasses of many people and which results in delinquency, drugs and violence” notes Mr. Bundis and adds: “It is a social problem that does not concern a small group of people like earlier, but it affects a larger group of young people who are looking for solutions around “standards” that have money, drugs, etc. as their focus. The need for social prominence, to upgrade the financial status, but also the hunt for easy and fast money have influenced now a portion of the young people who consider that their above needs are covered by the use and trafficking of drugs, etc.”

Mr. Bundis points out that in this very difficult period there is a need to strengthen the therapeutic programs and the support of these young people, stressing that “the role of KETHEA in this great social battle needs to be protected and strengthened”. At the same time, he expresses his strong concern about the new situation that is taking shape in the area of ​​these organizations, considering that “the initiatives of the central authority and the Ministry of Health are problematic”. He emphasizes that the attempted merger of approved therapeutic organizations and programs for addictions into one supercarrier is not in the right direction, noting that “we are leading to the closure of the organizations and mainly to a limitation of the therapeutic and scientific role of the organization”.

The concern of the people who are active in these organizations, as Mr. Bundis emphasizes, has to do with the fact that “the ministry has as a strategic goal the creation of a single administration of the field of addictions without giving weight to the scientific work, the therapeutic work in the structures and the creation of a reliable and adequate network of services for citizens with addiction problems, from prevention, to treatment and reintegration”.