Greece is strengthening its national response to addiction through a network of 243 facilities, expanded prevention programmes and integrated treatment and social reintegration services, Deputy Health Minister Eirini Agapidaki said at an international meeting in Rimini, Italy.
Agapidaki represented Greece and the Greek government at the International High-Level Meeting on Addiction Prevention and Recovery, held in the San Patrignano community in Rimini, with the participation of prominent political leaders, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The meeting highlighted the importance of European cooperation in preventing addiction, providing treatment and supporting the social reintegration of people experiencing substance dependence.
Agapidaki stressed that addiction requires a comprehensive public health response that protects human dignity, strengthens social cohesion and promotes equal opportunities. She called for an integrated approach combining prevention, harm reduction, treatment, rehabilitation and social reintegration.
“Addiction cannot be addressed through exclusion, stigma and abandonment. It requires prevention, scientifically proven treatment and meaningful support,” Agapidaki said.
“No person should be defined by their addiction, and no one should be denied a second chance in life. In Greece, we are building an integrated system for addiction prevention and treatment, with people at its centre.
“Recovery is not simply about overcoming addiction. It is about returning to life. We have a duty to ensure that everyone has this opportunity.”
Greece Expands National Addiction Services
Agapidaki outlined the steps Greece has taken to strengthen its national addiction response, highlighting the establishment of the National Organisation for the Prevention and Treatment of Addictions (EOPAE) in February 2025.
The organisation brought together services that had previously operated separately, creating a unified national framework supported by a network of 243 facilities across Greece.
Prevention, particularly among children and young people, remains a key priority. Through Greece’s participation in the CHAMPS initiative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the government is strengthening evidence-based prevention and early intervention in line with international standards.
Greece is also promoting a holistic care model that connects addiction treatment with primary healthcare, housing assistance, psychosocial support and employment opportunities. The approach aims to help people recover, rebuild their independence and reintegrate into society.
New Facilities and Interventions Planned
The government’s wider response also includes an interministerial intervention plan addressing vulnerability and drug dependence in central Athens.
The plan предусматриates the development of Safe Haven facilities, alongside 40 new facilities and interventions nationwide to improve access to treatment, expand harm reduction services and strengthen social support.
Agapidaki pointed to San Patrignano’s experience as an example of how comprehensive recovery programmes can extend beyond medical treatment to help people regain independence, rebuild their lives and return to their communities.
Greece Backs European Cooperation on Addiction
Agapidaki welcomed the European Alliance Against Drugs as an opportunity for European countries to exchange best practices and strengthen cooperation. She also endorsed the Rimini Declaration and reaffirmed Greece’s readiness to contribute actively to joint European efforts to prevent and address addiction.
“A society is also judged by whether it gives people the opportunity to get back on their feet,” she said, adding that Greece would continue to participate actively in European initiatives to ensure that no one falls behind and that everyone has the opportunity to rebuild their life with dignity and hope.
Greece’s participation in the meeting underlines the government’s commitment to cooperation and dialogue in tackling shared challenges. The government aims to advance policies that protect public health, strengthen social cohesion and safeguard human dignity while contributing to a coordinated European response to addiction.
(Source: AMNA)
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