Plan for addicts to farm way out of substance abuse

In a first for Greece, a farm exclusively for substance abusers, who will be able to work in agriculture as part of their drug addiction program to gain skills they can use after they "graduate," is being planned by the Health Ministry.

Organization Against Drugs (OKANA) President Thanasis Theocharis noted the significance for beneficiaries of working the land, in addition to meetings with their psychotherapist. He stressed that they will see that what they have been working on is literally bearing fruit. It is estimated that in this way detoxification can be achieved in less time and the beneficiaries will be able to "get back on their feet" faster. The plan is for the therapeutic farm to operate in Attica and accommodate 25 people.

On Thursday, the deputy minister responsible for mental health, Dimitris Vartzopoulos, gave the nod to programs dealing with addictions...