Drug and Alcohol Rehab in Europe

Planet with Europe as a focus

Every country in the EU struggles with its own unique drug and alcohol addiction challenges. No country has yet solved its substance abuse problems which points out the need for a better solution that will work in every country.

When it comes to drug and alcohol addiction, each country in the EU has different characteristics. Some populations suffer more from alcohol overuse. Other countries struggle with heroin addiction, and the country right next to them may have greater problems with cannabis or stimulants.

Each pattern has developed for reasons which may or may not be easy to detect. One country may have huge seaports that make it easy to ship in drugs from faraway countries. Or perhaps criminal elements have moved into a region, set up manufacturing facilities and supply both that population and ones nearby with their toxic products. In other countries, a long history of stimulant use could still be influencing today’s drug abuse patterns.

In every country, the first challenge is the same. It’s vital to educate the population on the dangers of any kind of substance abuse. The result of drug or alcohol abuse could be a dimming of one’s faculties, a disturbing of one’s emotions, damage to one’s physical or mental health, addiction, or even death from overdose. Those making the choice whether or not to use drugs need to know what could lie ahead.

It’s also vital to remove these substances from the market whenever possible and put the manufacturers and dealers out of business. It is a disservice to the population to let these criminals have free rein.

Each individual is healthier, saner, more productive, and it can be postulated, much happier if drug and alcohol abuse are out of the picture. For that reason, effective rehab is also a necessity in every country.

No corner of the EU that is immune to the plague of drug abuse, alcohol abuse and addiction. While every country fights this problem according to their own opinions and conclusions, the rate of repeat treatment makes it apparent that everyone could benefit from a more successful method of treating every type of addiction found in these countries. Effective drug and alcohol rehabilitation solutions are needed to save those caught in the grips of addiction in Europe.

Northern Europe:


Denmark

With its huge seaports, Denmark is popular with drug traffickers and manufacturers who may want to bring in South American drugs or the chemicals needed to brew synthetic drugs. Its ports move millions of kilograms of cargo and as many as two million …
Read More


Norway

In Norway, twice as many lives are lost to drug-related causes as in other Nordic countries, with nearly 300 lives lost each year. And while it is not known for ending lives, cannabis is sending many Norwegians to drug treatment programs. In fact, it …
Read More


Sweden

While Sweden has a high rate of alcohol consumption, the number of problem drinkers is lower than one might expect. Even Swedish youth drink significantly less than youth in other countries. Also, far fewer Swedish youth use cannabis than in other …
Read More

Western Europe:


France

France has always been known for its love of wine but now it is also known for its love of cannabis. Herbal cannabis or resins are the top drugs sending the French to rehab. One wonders if it was wise for the French government to partially …
Read More


Germany

Germans have a growing appetite for stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine. At the same time, opioid abuse and addiction has been falling. It’s possible that this is a generational shift in Germany. Still, an estimated 165,000 people are …
Read More


Netherlands

The Netherlands with its liberal drug laws has the highest rate of use of some drugs of all EU countries. Of course, many people know about the tolerance of cannabis use, especially in Amsterdam. Use of cannabis among young adults is fifth highest in …
Read More

Southern Europe:


Greece

Because of the heavy heroin trafficking routes passing through the Balkan Peninsula, Greece struggles with high rates of heroin use. In fact, heroin is the top drug sending people to addiction treatment. Supplies are up, prices are down. Cannabis …
Read More


Italy

Drug abuse in Italy is largely limited to cocaine, cannabis, heroin and alcohol. Cocaine and cannabis seizures have been soaring, and domestic production of cannabis has increased dramatically. Among young adults, nearly one in four uses cannabis, …
Read More


Portugal

Portugal decriminalized all drugs in 2001, but what most people believe is that they legalized them. Drugs are still illegal for possession or sale, but when a person is found with drugs, their supplies are destroyed and their offence is only a civil …
Read More


Spain

Since Spain is located on a crossroads of drugs travelling from South America or North Africa to every corner of Europe, its population is plagued with drug problems. Cocaine and heroin are shipped from South America through Spain on its way to …
Read More

Eastern Europe:


Czech Republic

In 2017, an estimated 41,000 people received treatment for drug problems. About 15,000 of these people were helped by low-threshold agencies, meaning that there was no insistence that the person stop using drugs or drinking. They may have been helped …
Read More


Hungary

Hungary lies on the primary drug trafficking route that moves products from Afghanistan to Northern Europe, which has meant heavy supplies of heroin along with any other drugs traffickers want to move. Until 2010, heroin on the market was quite pure …
Read More

Middle East:


Israel

While Israel is not a part of the EU, it is an associated state so it is included in this review of drug problems in the EU. The United Nations provides some information on Israel’s drug challenges, including the fact that 100% of those in addiction …
Read More