The refugee status increases the vulnerability of endangered people, exposed to pre-migration trauma and post-migration stress. The impact of migration stress is reflected in the development of mental disorders, especially post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression. The risk for psychoactive substance and alcohol use is consequently also increased. In Greece the confluent intersection of economic crisis and refugees' crisis contributes to a further enhancement of the risk. Refugees at the reception and identification centers are obliged to go through a long and complicated process and to wait for the uncertain result to their asylum application. The capacity of professionals of public health services is limited, overstrained and exceeded. There was an increase recorded in psychiatric referrals and emergencies. There's practically no existing, systematic investigation of substance use among refugees in Greece. Experience and information are very limited. Qualitative and empirical data from various carriers all agree on an enhancement of the phenomenon. The profile described is one of young, inactive, poor males, well informed on the available drug scenes in the area, many already using in their homeland, and alcohol, cannabis and opioids being the main substances of use. All official addiction services, prevention centers and non-governmental organizations have collaborated for the foundation of an interacting network in order to achieve psychosocial support, a smooth integration of children and adolescents and early detection of users. All substance users remain to be registered at reception and identification centers, an interinstitutional agency is to be engineered, psychiatric evaluation and treatment possibilities on site have to be introduced and referrals to specialized units need to become feasible. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart. New York.

Refugees Migration stress Migrants Substance use

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