Drug issues in Evros on the rise
Key Insights from KETHEA Ithaca Event
Evros is facing critical drug-related challenges, with notable heroin usage in Didymoteicho and increasing benzodiazepine consumption among women in Balkan villages. These findings were presented by Evripidis Chalkias, head of the Thrace Counseling Center and the Multi-Purpose Center of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace under KETHEA Kivotos, during an event marking the 41st anniversary of KETHEA Ithaca, Greece's first therapeutic detox community.
Heroin in Didymoteicho
Chalkias highlighted that Didymoteicho has the highest per-capita heroin use in Greece. This is attributed to its proximity to Bulgaria, where illegal heroin production labs operate. The ease of cross-border transport and low-cost availability of heroin exacerbate the issue, linking the region to broader European drug trafficking networks.
Benzodiazepine Dependence Among Women
In Balkan villages, the migration of men to work abroad has left many women isolated and struggling with loneliness. Chalkias explained that this isolation, combined with exposure to Western lifestyles, has led to increased reliance on benzodiazepines, prescribed as sedatives or anxiety treatments. Additionally, younger populations in these areas are reportedly turning to cocaine use.
These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to address drug dependence and its root causes in Evros and its surrounding regions.
